Trained to win
by Taralani2362
Summary: The 74th Hunger games are approaching and those in District two are training as hard as they can hoping that they will be able to go into that arena and all are on their seats waiting to know who will be representing this district. This fanfic is the Hunger Games from the point of view from both Cato and Clove, it's my first Fanfiction but I hope you all like it :) Please Review!
1. District 2

Chapter 1-District 2

Clove's POV

"Again!"

My knife soars through the air hitting straight through the dummy, exactly where the brain would be.

"Again!"

Another knife, sharp, pointed, spins dangerously towards the target sticking straight where the heart would be.

"Again!" Another knife goes through the air, and another, and another, all hitting the necessary targets until the dummy is covered in knives, each one positioned over one of the organs. Lungs, heart, brain, all of them have been hit. Not a single miss.

Again, again, again that's all I ever hear, the trainers are never satisfied, especially Enobaria. After half an hour of throwing knives, retrieving them and then throwing them again, the trainers finally call us to a stop telling us that at least it's time for lunch. 40 minutes, then it all starts again.

"Hey Clove" I spin around at my table glaring until I realise that it's only Cato and I just roll my eyes.

"Knife throwing any better yet?"

"Excuse me?" I raise an eyebrow at him spinning my knife in one hand, my fork perched in the other. "I never miss."

"I know I'm only kidding jeez" He smirks playfully at me and I release my knife, embedding it in the table a mere centre metre away from him. He picks it up and sighs at me, as I raise my eyebrow he simply smiles and says "You missed."

"Oh shut up." I reach over and grab one of his pieces of bread eating it calmly.

"Oi! That's mine."

"Mine now."

"Why you little..." In a flash he's jumped over the table, but too late, I've already rolled away and back on my feet, now laughing as Cato is launched over the table, through thin air, and lands in a heap. I walk over calmly and look down so my head is directly above his. I take one more bite and then say "You missed."

Before I know it I'm on the floor as a thick hand has clasped itself around my ankle, Cato has pulled me down before I even blinked, now he sits on my legs holding the knife pointed at me, the bread in his other hand.

"You're dead."

"You got lucky"

"Bullshit."

"Nu-uh"

"Clove! Cato! Get you asses back in the training room this instant everyone else is already in! 5 laps now!"

Shit. I look at Cato and bite my lip trying not to laugh as he gets off me and I quickly scramble to my feet and we head into the training centre and start jogging around the room, never straying more than a metre from the tall, dull, grey walls.

After the laps we separate again, me back to my knives, him to his swordplay.

"Clove. Show these idiots how to properly throw a knife. Now." I nod once at Enobaria, sneering cruelly at the bunch of ten year olds who obviously have no experience in knives and probably don't know much more than how to do a few press-ups and hold a knife let alone throw it and hit the target.

I pull on my knife jacket, already equipped with twenty ready knives and pull out two, holding them carefully in each hand, before lowering to my usual stance.

"Right you lot. Watch and learn." The ten year olds nod obediently though I'm not surprised, no one dares to cross Enobaria, ever.

Enobaria walks over to a small podium and pressed the green button, causing the grey doors, practically disguised amongst the tall walls, fling open revealing a small track as targets shaped like human cut-outs begin to make their way forward.

One. Two. Two knives, two targets already down, both of them headshots. Three, four, five, six, seven, another five targets down, two headshots, two to the heart, one to the jugular. This continues until I have used up all my knives and all the targets lie 'dead' on the ground.

"Good, so you can be useful." I look to Enobaria and nod respectfully back, sarcastic and rude I may be but not even Cato and I would dare cross her. "Clove, go to the wrestling mats." I nod once more and turn to leave.

"Right then! Your turn." I hear Enobaria talking to the ten year olds as I walk away and smirk when I see Cato up ahead waiting for me, his arms crossed, an identical smirk upon his face.

Cato's POV

One, two, three hits, an uppercut, and my sword is pointed at his chest as he lays on the floor, already out of breath. The trainer presses a button as a quietened sound of a cannon is played, symbolising my victory. Honestly he calls himself a district two? This idiot would barely make it out of the blood bath. Pathetic… absolutely pathetic, I'm 18 in just a month, still old enough for the games which I've trained for my whole life, and this is who I'm meant to be challenged by? Pathetic, even Clove could thrash him, and she's shit with swords, plus she's 16.

"Well done Cato, you're doing well with a sword; move over to the wrestling mats now please." I chuck my sword on the floor and look cruelly down at the boy I've just 'killed', of course I'm doing well with a sword, it's what I'm best at, before nodding at the trainer and heading to the mats where 3 other pairs are already wrestling, trying hard to pin each other for longer than ten seconds.

"Someone for you to wrestle with will arrive soon." Someone informs me as I arrive, so I stand, and I wait. Which idiot will I have to fight today? My eyes look around the room at the different stations, archery, swordsmanship, heavy lifting, running, the agility course, but the only one that catches my attention is the knife throwing station, or more specifically, Clove.

A group of kids are stood around the station, probably ten or nine year olds, usually they would train in a separate area of the building as those younger than 12, or rather, those not yet old enough for the hunger games, don't come to our area, unless they want to watch an expert at work, which they are currently doing (though I hate to admit that Clove's an expert at anything).

I watch as each one of her knives is thrown, each one hits its target. She's right, she never misses. Enobaria looks at her approvingly, nearly smiling, and that's saying something, a couple of people from the other stations seem to glance at her and nod approvingly, trainers and those being trained alike.

Once she's out of knives Enobaria nods at her and directs her to a different station before turning and shouting at the group of kids. Then I realise where she's headed, my station. This… will be fun.

Clove smirks as she spots me, obviously thinking the same thing and I stand with my arms folded, and smirking back.

"Cato."

"Clove."

The trainer comes over and smiles at the pair of us. "Ah good, Clove, I'm glad that Enobaria sent you over. Right then you two, usual rules, no getting off the mat, no breakages if possible, first to be pinned for ten seconds loses. In the event that the spar lasts until the end of the session, or both competitors are no longer able to continue, a draw will be announced. Ready?" Clove and I both nod.

"Begin!"

Clove and I immediately take our stances and slowly begin to circle around the large, round dark blue mat.

"Why bother clove you know I'll win."

"Oh you're so full of yourself Cato."

"Am I really?" I sneer at her tauntingly and she simply smiles sweetly back, before I lunge, going for her left arm. She sidesteps quickly to the right and darts behind me then rushes forward and flings her arms about my neck. My arm goes up immediately, nearly naturally, and grabs hold, stopping her from getting a proper grip. I spin and then release, forcing her to fall back and perform a backwards roly-poly before she lands with one knee bent and goes to swipe her spare leg under me.

I jump quickly and then spin around and send a punch towards her stomach. She sidesteps but it makes contact with her side ever so slightly, causing her to go a little off balance, perfect. Immediately I take the opportunity and dart forward, swiping for her arm, gotcha. I spin her around, but wince and let out a whimper of pain as her foot makes contact with my… special area. My grip slackens and she darts behind me sending a kick to my rear.

I fall forward but manage to do a roll out of her way and scramble to one knee as she darts towards me yet again. She feints a left punch but I know she's going for a snap kick so immediately I force myself backwards, even if I'm not that flexible, and grab her foot as, just like I knew she would, she kicks at me. Obviously surprised she's caught off guard and this time I pull hard causing her to fall to the ground and then, tired and exhausted, I throw myself on top of her, one hand on each of her wrists, a knee on either side of her waist. "Loser"

"Oh really?" Her leg comes up and I crumple to the side. Seriously, twice? What's she trying to do castrate me?

Before I know it she's stay on my back my arms behind me held firmly in her grasp.

"1!" The trainers shout aggravates me.

"I don't know how to lose Cato."

"2!" Eight seconds to get her off me? You're kidding me!

"3!"

"C'mon get off me Clove, you win." Please work.

"4!"

"I think I have 6 more seconds until victory Cato" I don't even need to look at her to know that she's grinning happily down at me."

"5!" Now.

In a flash I've flipped, released my hands, and punched her in the stomach, winding her, and then pushed her to the ground, and am now sitting in the middle of her back, my hands holding her arms high above her head.

"Ow ow ow! Cato you bastard no fair!" For the next ten seconds she struggles but for the life of her she can't escape my grip, I'm not one of the strongest people in two for nothing.

"10!" Ha! I win. I clamber off of her flexing my muscles victoriously; did she seriously think she could beat me? I hold my hand out to her and go to pull her up but she just yanks me back to the mat before getting up herself and then brushes a few stray pieces of hair out of her face.

"Pfft, mardy much?"

"Oh please, I let you win."

"Suuuuureee. Whatever you say Clove."

"I did!"

"Bullsh-"

"Cato!" I spin around at the sound of my name, as does Clove. A group of peacekeepers are walking over to me, one of the victors, Jyro, in the lead. He won the 45th Hunger games; he was 18 at the time. The 74th Hunger games are coming up, so he's 47 now, not the youngest of victors yet, other than Enobaria, he is one of the most highly respected people here.

"Yes sir?" Clove stands stock still as I straighten up to look at him, trying hard not to be disrespectful. What do they want me for?

"Come." I nod and walk towards him as he turns and heads back towards the door. I look back at Clove confusedly yet she just shrugs and nods her head telling me to get going before she heads off to the agility station herself.

We walk into the lobby of the building and then I'm taken to an elevator. It takes us up to the top floor and then Jyro and the peacekeepers take me into an office with his name on a plaque on the door. "Go" He orders the peacekeepers, who nod and head back out.

"Sit." I do so.

"Cato, as you know all the training you and your fellows do is training for the Hunger Games. Your parents paid quite a fee in order to make sure you began training when you were merely 8. Correct?"

"Yes Sir."

"As you also know, we are a proud district and take these games very seriously, and expect a winner nearly every year, hence why many of our victors are unable to live in the victor's village, nearly all the houses being occupied."

"Yes." Is this going where I think it's going?

"Well then young man, the fellow trainers, victors, peacekeepers and I have been watching the progress of many of those training here, and this year you will be our male tribute."

Ah so I was right, that is what he wants. Well I admit I'm honoured, thrilled in fact, I've been training for this for 10 long years, hoping that I would be picked. It's well known in our training centre, in most of our district in fact, that the victors pick who will be volunteering that year, they pick whoever performs best and who they genuinely believe will win the Hunger Games, rather than wait for the reaping, they want a victor.

"Well?" Oh yeah, my reply.

"Oh. Right, that's great I'm honoured."

"Good. You may return to training, on the day of the reaping, regardless of who is called, you are to volunteer and take your place on the stage with your fellow tribute, whoever that may be."

"Has a girl tribute been told to volunteer too?"

"No Cato, we can only have one victor after all, no point picking two of our best fighters when one of them is sure to die. Whoever is reaped will go to the games, no volunteers." In other words, no 18 year old girl has proved herself able to win the hunger games, they usually wait until people are 18 before telling them to volunteer, more experience, more training.

"Ah. Of course."

"Now go."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir."

"Peacekeepers will be outside ready to return you to training." I nod before standing and walking out of the door. Two peacekeepers then begin to guide me towards the elevator, down to the ground floor, and back to the training room. They push open the door and let me walk in, before returning to their posts, wherever that may be. Clove is still at the agility station and she smiles when she sees me but I simply smirk weakly before going over to the swords again… this is just too weird.

I beat three opponents before all of us are told that training is over and that it is time for us to return home and to report again at 6 O'clock the next morning.

Clove instantly comes over to me smiling and I nod at her though I don't tell her what happened yet.

"So? What did Jyro want?"

"Not here." I look warily at the others as they leave and don't speak again until we're out the building and heading back towards our street, I don't really fancy the idea of everyone knowing that I've been picked and they're not actually meant to know until the day of the reaping. No-one outside of district two is meant to know that we train for the Games, let alone that our previous victors and the trainers choose who is going to go into the arena regardless of who is reaped. Conveniently Clove and I have lived on the same street for about a year now, her parents decided to move closer to the training station last year so we walk to and from training together every day now.

As we turn into our street she looks to me and raises an eyebrow expectantly. "So?"

"I'm going in the hunger games this year."

"Oh cool, you've chosen to volunteer? Great! Bet you'll win mate"

"No it's not like that; Jyro told me I have to."

"Weren't you going to anyway?"

"Yeah I guess… but I wanted to do it on my own terms I guess. That's all."

"Hey, don't worry about it okay?" I smile weakly as she playfully punches me on the shoulder. I guess I can be myself about Clove, she's just like me, fucked up family, and a kick ass opponent though, even though I doubt it, I might never see her again after the games begin… "They're not making a girl tribute volunteer right? Not wanting to waste two great fighters and all?"

"Nope. Seem to think one will be enough. Anyway I best be getting home, see ya Clove"

"See ya Cato."

Clove and I go our separate ways and I can't help but sigh as I reach the door to my apartment. I turn the key and walk inside. My family is already sat at the table eating and my mother turns to me instantly. "Well?"

"I'm going into the hunger games this year."

My little brother looks down a little sadly, our elder brother died a few years ago in his hunger games after he was chosen to volunteer and my brother fears I'm going to die as well, though my mother just grins wickedly and my father smirks. "You better win, I want a bigger apartment, you hear? Don't you dare be an idiot and die like your older brother."

"Yes mother."

"Your mother's right, you win, we haven't spent our hard earned money on you and your siblings to go train just for you to enter and then lose the hunger games."

"Yes father."

"Have some dinner and then go to bed." I take a seat beside my brother, he's only 8 and started his training this year, ever since brother died he's been getting quieter and quieter and now he's practically silent, as well as sneaky. My sister on the other hand smiles at me, she's 13 and reminds me so much of clove it's scary, except for the fact that her hair colour is blonde like mine instead of Clove's dark hair that she always keeps in a ponytail no matter where she is.

I eat quickly before heading to my room and settling on my small bed. I'm going into the hunger games, what I've trained for my entire life, I'm going in, and I'm going to win, no matter what.


	2. The Reaping

Chapter 2-The Reaping

Clove's POV

"Up! Get up! _UP!_" On the last syllable I'm jolted out of my slumber by a thwack from my mother's towel. I jump up and instinctively grab it and wrench it out of her grip. I was in the arena last night… in my dreams, my nightmares, and there was Cato standing over me, my last competitor, yet it wasn't Cato. This was a boy I had never truly seen before, someone simply masquerading as Cato, his foot on my writhing chest, his sword swinging over his head and then coming crashing down, down, to where my heart would be.

_Slap_. "Ouch!"

"Give me back my towel you vile girl!" I release it instantly resisting the urge to shout back. "What did I ever do to deserve _you_ as a daughter?" I clench my firsts, wanting nothing more than to hit her, do as I've been trained, but no… that won't get me anywhere. "It's the reaping get dressed and get going! If you're reaped then thank the lord!"

Shit, the reaping, I'm meant to meet Cato outside. I know he's trained for this is whole life but he's one of my best friends, well one of my only friends and I'm probably his as everyone else is terrified of both of us especially when we're together, no-one dares pick a fight with either of us anymore, last person Cato fought ended up in the hospital with a broken spine, a broken arm, and a cracked skull. Last person who tried to pick a fight with me ended up with a knife in the abdomen. He just about made it. Just.

I dress quickly and head out of my apartment, sliding down the stairway and then find Cato waiting for me.

"Sleep in?" Cato can't help but sneer at me and I just roll my eyes at him.

"Yeah yeah, hi to you to Cato. You okay?"

"You kidding me? I got picked to be a victor, let's do this!"

I smirk at him before we set off, talking about basically anything except the games, when the subject does crop up he promises me he's not scared, to be honest I completely believe him, if anything I think he's pleased, even if I'm not. He is my best friend and I'm not too fond of the idea of him going into the games. Okay so I'm a little jealous, but I'm also worried, even though I know he can win there's still the possibility he's die. He told me months ago he was hoping he'd be picked and his greedy parents want the money, he'd love the glory, and he doesn't want all this training to just be wasted, but he never honestly expected it even if he is one of the strongest people in our district.

When we finally arrive at the districts centre I smile and wave at Cato saying "Go get 'em! I'll see you in the justice building!" Before heading off to my appropriate area. A few of the girls in my section back away as I approach. Many would be down heartened at this, but me? This is power… they fear me, as they should, all of them know not to cross me. I never miss.

Our escort steps up onto the platform, no idea what their name is. He smiles at us and greets us all before playing the Propo about how the districts came together, rebelled, lost, blah blah blah, this is punishment. Heard it, seen it, don't care, which bitch is going to die this year so my best friend can come home?

"Ladies first!" Get on with it… The escort walks towards the two huge glass balls on the platform and steps towards the one of the left, the girls. In that ball each slip holds a different name, some names in their more than once, for some names, it's their first time. Every name of every girl in the district between the ages of 12 and 18 is in that glass ball.

She places her hand in the bowl and twiddles her fingers around, brushing the tips along the top pieces of paper, before snatching one up between two of her bright pink nails, and pulling it up to eye-level. She coughs, clearing her throat, and then snaps the seal, stretching it out between her fingers.

I hear the name, yet I don't hear it. But everyone's looking at me, and no-one's going up to the stage. The escort reads the name again, and this time I hear it. My name. Well crap. I flick my ponytail and walk up to the stage smirking. "Sorry didn't feel the need to pay attention." The escort looks a little shocked, but recover, and a few people laugh darkly at my statement. Good, now other tributes won't think I was just being an idiot and not paying attention, like I was doing, but heck they don't need to know that.

"And now let us see who will be our male tribute this year." Well I already know it's going to be Cato, as do Jyro and Enobaria_ and_ nearly every trainer in the district. "Roberto Jylin" _3…2…1…_

"I volunteer!" And there it is Cato's voice. Cato walks up to the stage calmly and smiles pleasantly at the escort, not glancing at me. I know if he will he'll break slightly, it's not like it's that dramatic but only one of us is coming out, which I have to admit is crap, when one us comes back it's going to be dead boring without the other to take the mick of, though I guess I'd be able to train people and get away from my stupid mother if I came back, and there'd be the other victors, but it would still be boring.

"And what is your name dear?" Oh my god that capitolite accent is so annoying… why can't I be going into the arena with her for goodness sake, they're going to force me to kill kids that are either a challenge or pathetic, why not simply send in people that if died, would do the world a favour.

"My name is Cato. And before you ask, I'm 18."

"Well then, let's hear it for this year's tributes from district two!" We're scurried away to the justice building where I sit calmly until my sister comes in. I only have three relatives, and I'm damn sure my stupid mother isn't coming, no doubt she's celebrating, if I win or lose she gets what she wants, be it a stack load of cash or a dead daughter who she's hated since birth. And my other sister, just a year younger than me, has been living with my dad since my parents split up when I was only 10 and even though we live in the same district and were close until that time, now we barely ever speak.

"Hey Clove. You okay?"

"I guess, little bit pissed that it's me that has to go in with Cato but oh well."

"Make me proud okay?" I look up at my sister and sigh. She turned 20 last year and is now happily married in her own apartment. She sees me every now and then and I get on with both her and her new husband, but no-one would be able to tell we were sisters. Unlike me she is tall with practically glowing light brown hair that flows to her waist, and she never wears it up. She always dresses in pretty dresses and has her nails always painted perfectly. Compared to me, she's my opposite, except our eyes, they're the same colour at least, though mine always seem more menacing where as she just seems sweet, but cunning.

We talk about meaningless things for about a minute before the peacekeepers announce it's time for me to board the train. Yay… I walk out of the room calmly, waving once at my sister, and then head straight to the station, boarding the train calmly and taking a seat by Cato who has a scarlet hand mark on his face.

"Farewell gift from your mother?"

"Reminder to come home a victor…" He growls back, obviously annoyed his mother hit him, not that he'd ever block it.

"Enobaria, how long until we can see the reapings of our allies and soon to be dead fellow tributes?"

"Not until tonight, we'll be in the capitol by then and can watch it in the living room on our floor. We're not too far away from the Capitol and the journey usually only takes a couple of hours, no more."

I sit next to Cato and take a piece of toast, having forgotten to eat anything this morning. I give a piece to Cato too and we eat it calmly, flicking through the channels on the television.

"I take it both of you will be allies." Says Enobaria

"Of course. Clove and I will kill everyone easily just wait until the death match, that'll be a show."

"Not really, I thrashed you in just a few minutes last time."

"Really?" I glower as he uses the sarcastic tone. "Last _I_ remember, you pinned me and within seconds I was sat on your back holding your arms above your head ready to dislocate both your shoulders at will."

"And like I said, you got lucky."

"Bullshit"

"Ahem!" Both of us whip around to face Enobaria. "Will the pair of you start acting like fools; I'm expecting a victor this year, understood?" Both of us nod. "Good. Now then tonight on the recaps of the reapings I want you to pay attention and make a list of potential allies, potential deaths, possible bloodbaths, and those who will survive the first half an hour but won't make it much further and in training sessions I expect the pair of you to start forming those alliances and planning strategies and make sure to learn the weaknesses of your allies above everyone else's."

"Why?"

"Because if they don't die you'll have to either split or wait for someone else to do it, or kill them yourselves and if you play to their strengths by accident you'll end up dead and I'm telling you now they'll make sure to learn your strengths and weaknesses. That is all for now if you need me I will be in my room, you know where to find me, when we arrive at the Capitol come get me. That is all."

I watch her walk off holding my breath. Once I'm sure she's gone I lean over to Cato and whisper something calmly in his ear.

Cato's POV

At Clove's words I can't help but burst out laughing and when I look to her I see she is smirking and trying hard not to laugh as well. Our escort, who for some odd reason is still in the room, just looks at us confusedly so I smirk and raise an eyebrow. "May we help you?"

"Honestly we can help you with anything."

"Like… teaching you which parts of your body will fail first."

"Or where the best place is to be sure of a kill"

"And how to help you to an early grave."

She looks at the pair of us astounded before turning on her heels and marching out of the room, outraged. Stupid Capitolite. I turn and smirk at Clove. Clove… the girl who has to go into the arena with me, will it really end up as a death match between the pair of us? We're basically equally matched, where I'm strong, she's agile, where I'm good with swords, she's astounding with knives, but would either of us be able to kill each other? I don't know… let's just hope someone gets to her before me.

Clove finally finds a decent (ish) channel on the TV though there are so many adverts about the latest perfumes, outfits, and (for some stupid reason) wigs.

"Hmm, maybe when I'm victor I'll try out those wigs. Then burn them all."

"Ha, I'm sure they'd suit you Clove. And who says you'll win?"

"Umm… me?" She turns and smiles sweetly at me, though of course I know its sarcasm.

"Oh please you know I'll kick your ass."

"Yeah suuuuree."

"I will."

"Nu-uh"

"Oh shut up." Clove smirks at me in a half-cruel way before she looks out the window and mutters annoyedly "We're here."

I can't help but sigh… this means waking up Enobaria. "I'll go get her then…" I walk through the train before I finally find her door, there's only 4 of us and the driver why are there so many doors? I knock three times, to no avail, and tensing slightly, push open her door. "Enobaria." She sits up quickly, having been asleep, and flings a steak knife in my direction. I duck and spin, plucking it from the air and stand again pointing it towards her.

"Not bad. We're at the Capitol?"

"Yes, the trains about to pull in now."

"Good. Let's go."

* * *

**Okay so I know this chapter was a little shorter than the last one and I'm sorry, and future chapters will be longer to make up for it I promise. Thanks to everyone for reviewing and if you're still reading please please please keep reviewing, more reviews the better :D! Thanks xxxx**


	3. The Capitol, the competition, The Parade

Chapter 3-The capitol, the competition and The Parade

Cato's POV

Once outside camera's instantly start flashing at us, all wanting a picture of the tributes from District 2. Clove and I smile menacingly, may as well let everyone know we're not to be messed with. Enobaria comes up behind us and smiles calmly; doubling the amount of photos taken.

"Miss Clove! Miss Enobaria! Do you really think they'll be a winner from two this year?"

"My dear reporters, I don't think, I know." Says Enobaria with a small smile showing off her deadly, sharpened, golden teeth and guides both of us toward the building in which we will be saying, dismissing all questions directed at us with "Wait for the interviews." Once in the lobby peacekeepers come and dismiss the reporters, slamming the doors behind us allowing us to walk to the elevator in peace. Enobaria practically pushes us into the elevator and our escort quickly pushes the number 2 button. There are 13 floors in this building, including the ground floor. The floors each represent each district, district 1 lives on the district 1 floor, we live on the second floor, all the way up to 12, and then there's the roof, though no-one really ever goes there though I've hard stories about tributes, usually from poorer districts, trying to jump off unable to wait for their death though there's a force field which throws them back.

The elevator doors open and we're immediately met by a room which is everything like any other capitol house, except the wall, the walls are a bland grey, the exact same shade as our training room back home.

"No doubt you recognise the wall colour. Even in this apartment of luxury you must remember that this is no holiday, you will go into that arena and you will kill. Should you forget this all furniture will be replaced with that of back home in our training centre, Understood?"

Both Clove and I nod, this is no time to forget whilst we're here. "How much longer."

"Two hours, then the competition will be shown. Go wash, redress and return for dinner. Afterwards the television will be shown and your opponents will be shown. Now go."

Clove's POV

At Enobaria's words I quickly go off to my room, like the main room, the walls here are also a bland grey; it's as if we never left. I quickly pull of my clothes and step into a scalding hot shower; I need to make sure I'm fully awake when I see my competition.

After what feels like half an hour I step out and dress, pulling my hair back up into a high ponytail and then place my hand against the wall. Instantly hot air is blown up from the floor, drying me completely and stopping my hair from dripping down my back. I step out of my room and go back down the hall where Enobaria is already waiting, as is Cato, our escort is nowhere to be seen, probably out seeing friend or something stupid.

We eat in silence and then go to the sofa where we turn on the television and wait. 40 minutes until the reaping recaps.

Time seems to stand still and Cato and I glare menacingly at the television, as if commanding it to show us who we have to kill, who we have to finish and destroy.

A notebook is chucked at the pair of us, looking down I see it already has headings along the top:

1-Potential allies, 2-Weaklings/Bloodbath, 3-Threats.

"Pay attention and write under the headings. No excuses."

3, 2, 1.

"Hello everybody! This is Ceasar Flickerman here and I am proud to announce that all of this year's tributes have now been picked! This is now the 74th Hunger Games and I am so, _so_ happy to announce that we are about to show the recaps of all of the reapings! So, without further ado, let us begin!" The screen shifts and the caption 'District one' Flashes across the bottom.

The girl tributes name is Glimmer; she is wearing an extravagant dress and has long, gorgeous, shiny blonde hair flowing down her back. Even though she looks like an idiot, she's from district one… so I list her under 'potential allies'. I do the same for the boy, Marvel, he seems no way near as threatening as Cato but I know he'll be useful, besides, there's always a career pack and its tradition for one and two to stick together, for a while at least.

Then district two comes up, I hate to admit that I look like a complete idiot when I don't respond to my own name being called though, as I suspected, my comment about 'not needing to pay attention' seems to convince everyone (or at least the commentators) that I shouldn't be underestimated. When Cato comes up I can't help but realise that even though I've only seen 2 other tributes, we're probably going to be the most terrifying, both of us look out at the crowd with the exact same 'don't mess with us' look, which we know everyone will recognise.

The two from district three look like the usual brainiacs, no surprise there but other than that nothing seems special about them, both of them I list under bloodbath.

I pay attention for four, they usually are the other career district, and I see Cato seem to 'switch on' a bit more as well, though I can't help but admit I'm disappointed. The girl at least seems to know what she's doing but the boy seems as though he's going to be hopeless. I'm pretty sure those from district four don't actually _train_ for the games like our district and district one do

After that I don't seem to pay too much attention, now that the career districts have passed. There are a couple of sneaky looking people, a girl from five whose name I pay no attention to, and a 12 year old from 11. The boy from 11 is the only other person I properly pay attention to. He's tall, dark, and incredibly muscly, I instantly write 'Boy-11' on my allies list.

Then 12 comes on, thank god, I'm glad it's nearly over. I hear the escort, who truly looks like a typical Capitol moron, calmly clear her throat and speak the name 'Primrose…' something. People seem to look uneasy so I quickly smirk, it must be a 12 year old to get that reaction. I go to write down '12-girl' on bloodbath, when I hear the words 'I volunteer!' emitting from the screen. A volunteer… from _12? _I look to Enobaria and see she too has leaned forward slightly. A slightly shocked looking dark haired girl, probably 16 or 17, I don't know, walks up to the stage, a long braid going down her back and over her shoulder.

"And what's your name dear?"

"K-Katniss. Katniss Everdeen."

"Oh so you were that little girls sister?"

"Yes."

Ah. So _that's_ why she volunteered. Though to be honest, it doesn't matter, she's a 12 for pity's sake, either way she's doomed.

The Boy then comes on, P… something, whatever he's a 12 so he's going to be a bloodbath of course. To be honest it was stupid that the Katniss girl volunteered, her sister will probably only get reaped in a few more years anyway 'Oh it's the girl whose sister volunteered for her and then died in the bloodbath!' That would interest people I suppose. Oh well, her death was only postponed.

Enobaria quickly flicks off the television and makes us go through our lists together. Cato has roughly the same as me yet Enobaria is a little different. She has Thresh under 'Threats' instead of Allies.

"Huh? Why's he a threat?"

"Firstly… everyone is a threat, but he is a threat because I will be highly surprised if he allies with you, districts 10 through to 12 never like to mix with careers simply due to their foolish pride. He is a threat and you must make him a target, though you should try to form an alliance with him if possible. Now go to bed, tomorrow is the parade and your prep team will be preparing you throughout the whole of tomorrow."

Shit. A whole day with the prep teams… I've heard from previous victors what it's like there. Living hell. No complaining, it'll only become worse, no sounds of protest are to be heard whatsoever. Great… I look to Cato with a look of dread and he simply looks back as if in pain at the mere idea. Against a man twice his side equipped with a sword he is fearless, yet go towards him with a make-up back and you'll be lucky if he stays long enough for you to even open it.

* * *

Cato's POV

"Ah!" Goddamit, what is it with this prep team and stripping nearly every unwanted hair from my body. What was wrong with my eyebrows for goodness sake? And then there's the make-up, why, why must I wear makeup? Firstly, I'm a guy. Get it? Boy, Man, Bloke, person of the male goddam gender for goodness sake. I volunteered to kill some tributes and gain honour for my district _not_ to be all made and dressed up like a little girl's toy doll!

"Oh he looks marvellous!"

"Doesn't he?" Oh yeah? Guess what, _he_ doesn't care!

"Oh he's coming! Shush ladies!" And then I hear it. The gentle footsteps coming closer, and closer, and then he comes in. My eyes widen in what I have to say is shock, how can anyone dress like… like that! He's wearing a shining orange suit with a glittering silver belt, with flashing lights (seriously?), and jet black ankle high boots which are hidden slightly below his vibrant trousers. He pushes his hand through his shining blonde hair, sorry, wig, and then gives a winning smile to my prep team who practically feint. Pathetic.

"So… You're Cato from District 2."

"Indeed." Any other tributes in here?

"Well then Cato, I will be your stylist throughout these games, my name is Iruck." Iruck… wha-?

"Nice to meet you…" Not, forcing myself to not speak sarcastically may be the death of me at this rate. He looks me over calmly, my prep team standing back and giggling insanely throughout, dumb capitolites. After around 5 minutes he finally announces it's time to see my outfit for the Parade.

He leaves the room for about a minute then comes back with a jet black bag hanging from a coat hanger. He quickly unzips it and shows me what I'll be wearing, and I have to admit I'm impressed. It reminds me of a gladiator's, no, a god's, war outfit. It's a mixture of gold and bronze, with a gleaming helmet with wings coming from either side. Hmm… this could be interesting.

Clove comes towards me wearing a menacing smile upon her lips. She too is dressed like me, like a warrior, as if nothing can touch us and the other tributes know it. I look around determinedly, as instructed, though I would have done anyway, and see others looking at me in fear, as they should. I continue looking around, I sigh at district 7, shame they don't look like trees, and it would have been nice to have a decent reason to laugh at them. Yet, when I spot district 12 and get slightly confused. They're matching, but they're not wearing anything that looks like something to resemble coal, except that its black, what's going on? I see them listening intently to one of their stylists, he looks surprisingly normal, except for his eye liner and earring. Oh well, its district 12, it won't be anything exciting.

"Cato."

"Clove."

"Let's do this then shall we?" I smirk at her and help her up onto the chariot, before clambering up myself. The huge doors open, lights shine upon us, and district one, covered in glitter, is pulled out by its own marvellous horses.

5. 4. 3. 2. 1. We're off.

Immediately both our ears are met with cheers and shouts and Clove and I simply look ahead proudly a triumphant smile on both of our faces as if we've already won. Already I hear people shouting and calling our names and then I hear more names, district 3 and 4 must be out by now. Most of the districts are out now, riding towards the balcony where the president sits, waiting to address all of Panem. We pull in by district 1 and then we hear it. The screams, the shouts, all calling for 12. Wait… 12?! Instantly I spin around, Clove too, and then we see it. A ball of fire as district 12 comes out, being pulled elegantly by their horses, their suits ablaze. I look to the screens and see that their attention is focused solely on the boy and girl as well. And then, to top it all, they clasp their hands together and hold them high above their heads, their faces looking straight ahead, ignoring all the shouts and cheers as if they're above them all. It's as though my world has gone upside down, they should be cheering _us_ like that, and not these… these district 12 bastards!

I grab Clove's arm and turn her around, no point showing everyone we're annoyed whilst potential sponsors are watching. Clove opens her mouth but I grip her arm tighter to shut her up. Right now I feel like if I speak I'll simply start shouting and the games will start right here, right now, and will be unable to wait for that arena.

The president gives his speech, and we're being pulled back, back to our stylists, back to where we can be taken to our own floor where both of us can finally let our emotions out.

* * *

"I'm going to _kill_ her!" Clove storms in and instantly punches one of the chairs, causing it to collapse in a heap as a mere pile of wood.

"Did you know about this Enobaria?!" I shout, instantly finding her by the television. She seems furious too, her nails stuffed with what she must have scratches away from the sofa in her fury.

"Of course I didn't know. Bastards… stealing the spotlight like that!"

Hmph, so now I don't even have a reason to be mad at her, though Clove apparently does. "Well you're the goddam mentor! You should find out these things! We should have been the ones they were shouting for-"

"YOU WERE!"

"Only until those twats came out! I'll kill them! I will bloody kill them!" She storms off to her room and I quickly follow her, my own blood boiling with rage. How dare they take the stage and make everyone forget about us. Bastards!

I walk into her room and find Clove already punching her pillow silly when she sees me she instantly breaks down in tears. I look at her shocked, all my anger forgotten. "C-Clove?"

"We're doomed! They'll get all the sponsors and we won't get anything and in the arena what if we g-get poisoned or bitten of the gamemakers do something and without sponsors we won't get medicine to help us because 12 will have all the mentors and-"

Instinctively I wrap my arms around her, protecting her, like a friend would, like a brother would, instantly silencing her quickened speech. "Calm down… we'll get sponsors; they won't live long enough to get any"

"R-Really?"

"I promise Clove."

"They're dead… we'll kill them. Right?"

"Right." I pull back and hold out my hand to her and we shake, confirming our deal, confirming district 12's downfall. I smile at her, a matching, menacing look plastered on both of our faces as we know what we're going to do. I get up, and go, smirking, and it's only when I close the door that I realise… something…

I just hugged Clove, and I've never hugged her before, but… it felt right. Pushing the thought out of my mind, I quickly make my way to my own room, thoughts of how I am going to demolish 12 lingering in my wake.

Watch out district 12, you don't have long left to live.

* * *

**Okay yeah so so soooo sorry that I didn't put this up for ages, my teachers at school decided to pull an 'essay week' on me so i've literally been working so hard just to get all my work done and barely had time to do any fanfiction writing. Sorry to keep you waiting, and hopefully I should be able to update more frequently, or at least every weekend :D Okay so i hope you enjoyed it and now I'm going to work on chapter 4.**

**Thanks for reading! And thanks to 'AnItalianDuck' for reviewing before, keep up the reviews guys! love you all ^_^ xx**


	4. Training and the Interview

Chapter 4-Training

Clove's POV

I wake up still feeling bitter about the night before. 12… of all people… 12? This makes no sense, but either way, stealing out spotlight means they'll just die sooner. I know they won't be a threat, being from _that_ district and all, but I think I'll watch them today, though really I should focus on Glimmer and Marvel… every games needs a career pack, and they're district one. Hopefully they should be worth it.

Walking into the dining room I see Cato already sat there, talking to Enobaria whilst taking a bite or two from his toast every now and then.

"Ah. Clove, good morning. I suppose you know what you're going to do today?"

"Form the Career pack."

"Good. Cato, show off your skills as a swordsman and intimidate them, show them you're not to be messed with. Clove, show your ability on the assault course in the morning, save the knives until the afternoon either showing off to your allies or showing your enemies why they're going to die."

"Understand." Clove and I nod our heads respectfully at her, before our escort comes in and quickly pushes us towards the elevator.

"Oi! Push me again and I'll-"

"Cato!" I bark a warning at him, if we annoy the escort, no sponsors, he should know this! But…. It's true Cato hates idiots pushing him, unsurprisingly, though the escort does avoid confronting Cato or doing anything that may bother him from that point onwards.

When the lift doors open and we walk towards the training room, we're happy to see that we're the first ones there. I nod at him and we go to our different places, him to the swords, and me to the assault course, as instructed earlier. I complete it with ease, and the peacemakers are obviously impressed, though not surprised. On my fifth completion of the monkey bars, the doors open and district 1 and 9 come in.

The girl looks at me intently, but I ignore her, for now, and keep working on the assault course. She heads to the bow and arrow station, and then slowly goes around the others. She seems to be good at most things, though with the bow and arrow she misses the target by about 10cm. Not good enough in my opinion. The boy goes over to the spears, and instantly it's obvious that he's got a knack for it. It's like me with knives, just on a larger scale. I look to Cato across the room who was also subtly watching and he nods at me. Well, that's that confirmed, we're making a pack with 1.

I finish the course and land calmly, and then take a look around the room, all the other tributes are here but my eyes are immediately on 12. They're at the plants station… What losers, so it's confirmed, 12 are no threat at all; they're just good at upstaging us.

I look to the cloak above the doors, nearly lunch; I must have been around the course more than 50 times.

Turning around, I see Cato beckoning me with a twitch of the head and calmly make my way over to him.

"You asking them or am I?"

"Asking? We're telling… and I'll do it. Come on." I watch as Glimmer walks over to Marvel, flicking her hair out of her face with an elegant swish, causing many of the other tributes to swoon at her, though this only confirms what I suspected, she's a typical blonde district 1. Sexy, enthralling, probably incredibly stupid… yet knows how to handle a weapon. Not the best opponent as there's a high chance you'll end up dead, but a useful ally.

I make my way towards them, Cato's hulking figure looming behind me and see the other tributes part before us. The little 12 year old from eleven see's us and nearly screams in fright before sprinting off for her food. Stupid brat.

"Oi. District one."

At my voice Glimmer turns. The boy throws his last spear, spearing the target right through the centre, and then turns also, an eyebrow raised. He quickly shifts so he's next to Glimmer, as if in a slightly protecting stance, what an idiot.

"Yes 2?" Wow… even her voice is annoying, high and musical, yet also a feint hint of bossiness behind it. No doubt she'll drive me insane in the arena, let's hope we kill the others as soon as possible so we can turn on them.

"Alliance, every games needs a career pack, are you in or not?"

"Oh? What's in it for us?"

"I don't kill you obviously." At this she bursts out laughing and I look to her annoyedly though Cato smirks.

"She's not kidding 2. Clove. Go throw a knife." At his command, although told to refrain from it earlier, I head over to the knife station and pick one up. I weigh it calmly in my hand, before spinning and flinging it at the target. It zooms through the air twisting perfectly around before it embeds itself in the dummy's head, exactly where the centre of the brain would be on a human.

"Again Clove… show 'em it ain't just fluke." I smirk at him but do so. The thrill and adrenaline instantly fills my body, I'm in my element, and I'm doing what I do best. Knife after knife after knife, every single one hits its target, the neck, the eye, the brain, the heart. With my last one I even close my eyes, showing off I know but hell, why not? I'm a district 2 after all, I say I could do it in my sleep, I may as well prove it.

I walk back to Glimmer now, the dummy that was in front of me covered in blade hilts at all the dangerous points on the body. "Satisfied?"

"What can your boyfriend do?"

"Beat yours to a pulp with a sword if you're not careful, though sadly we can't fight you yet, so we in an alliance or not?" Glimmer looks to Marvel, and smirks, as f wanting his opinion though it's obvious she's the more dominant of the two. At least with Cato and me we share dominance… or at least we kind of do.

"We're in. I'm Glimmer, and this is my district partner, Marvel."

"Good to have allies… I'm Cato, and the knife girls Clove." I smile sadistically at her.

"Knife girl indeed… don't worry I can do moving targets too."

"I'll take your word for it… should we get something to eat?" We nod and then head towards the cafeteria, Cato and Marvel seem to hit it off, talking about the best places to kill and things like that, whilst I turn my attention to Glimmer. She tells me about district one and all the beautiful things there and how she can't wait to go home a victor, thrilled about how she was reaped. _Well, you won't be thrilled for long will you?_ I smile and nod at all the appropriate points, keeping her satisfied, until I finally have to give an answer.

"Should we get district 11?" Cato looks up at Glimmers words and pauses for a moment.

"I was watching him… he may be an 11, but he's strong, besides… we can kill him in his sleep a few days in." I look towards Marvel as he says this in the most casual of tones. Most districts are appalled that we can look upon the deaths of others so easily, but they don't really that it's life, we were trained so that we could win this, so that we could live in happy glory, not our fault they don't work hard for it, don't grab the opportunity when it's dangling before them… another reason why they're so pathetic.

"Hm. Alright. Let's watch him for the rest of the day, if he's good, we'll check him out tomorrow morning and invite him, agreed?" Yep, Blondey sure is bossy, though this is what I would have said too… but it didn't come from me, that's my only issue. Oh well, may as well let her live out her days doing what she does best

After lunch I go to the knives station, it's time to intimidate the others. Within 10 minutes I've already used up 50 knives, only missing one, if you can call being 2cm off target missing, but I do. I stop and sigh, pretending to be bored of my knife work, though when I turn round I can already see the other tributes, the young ones mostly, looking towards me in total fear, they know I'm going to be a threat. Too right in my opinion.

I go over to Cato and spend the rest of the afternoon session going around stations, us and one slowly taking it in turns to be at the station next to 11. It's obvious that he's going to be a strong ally just by the presence he gives. Nearly everyone in the room is frightened by him, except for probably his district partner, though I must admit I've not seen her for the whole duration of the training...

At the end of the day we hang back and then walk to the elevator with one.

"So, we're asking 11 I take it?" I ask, an eyebrow raised.

"We can kill him a few days in anyway, wouldn't surprise me if he turned on us if we didn't turn on him." Adds Cato.

"Hm. Yes. Yes I think we will, don't you agree Marvel?" Marvel nods at Glimmers words, it's pathetic, it's like he's her stupid little puppy, being blindly led into war.

"Good." The elevator stops at the first floor and Glimmer and Marvel step out. The doors close and begin to rise again and Cato and I step out onto our floor. "I swear if she's that bossy in the arena I'll kill her."

"Who are you going to kill?" I look up and see Enobaria stood there an eyebrow raised. She must have just walked in.

"Glimmer from one… bossiest career I've ever seen." Enobaria smirks at this but then speaks sternly to me. "Don't kill any allies until they've stopped being useful Clove, you know that…" I sigh but nod, before walking slowly towards my room, Cato following me.

"So… umm… well done in training. Really… intimidated everyone."

"Umm... Thanks?" Well… that was weird, why would Cato tell me that? I admit I'm flattered… ish, but he's seen me train for years. Oh well. Nothing important. I smile weakly at him, if a little but confusedly, then step into my room, I need to get out of these training clothes before dinner or my escort may just kill me, or lecture me, either one's as bad.

Cato's POV

_"Really intimidated everyone" Yes well done Cato, did great there. Not. _I sigh and head to my own room, pulling off my clothes and stepping in to the boiling hot shower. Why do I feel like this anyway? She's my friend… but we hugged yesterday… have I ever properly hugged anyone before? I know I haven't ever hugged my parents, or my siblings, I guess affection doesn't really exist back home, but was that affection? I honestly don't know. I try to push it out of my mind, she's going to have to die anyway in order for me to win, and she'll have to. I hate that it's true but it is and there's nothing I can do about it, be it at my own hands or someone else's, she's going to have to die if I'm going to come home a victor.

I step out the shower and get dressed again before heading out the door back to dinner. Only a few days left, then they begin.

* * *

"He said NO?!"

"Glimmer calm down!" I turn and raise my eyebrow at Clove, who returns the look. Seriously, these are our allies? A quick to temper bossy blonde, and her oh-so-faithful puppy? But I had to admit, I wasn't the only one who was annoyed.

We had approached eleven earlier this morning. As we expected, 11 was here early, so not all the other tributes had arrived yet. He went to the fire-making station and as he was about to move we went and cornered him.

_"Oi. 11"_

_"What." The four of us were around him now, leaving the space behind him as the only escape route, any other tribute would be cowering by now, even if we're banned to hurt them, but Thresh stood tall and just looked at us, almost menacingly._

_"We want you in our alliance." That was Glimmer; she was smiling at him as though this should be one of the highest honours._

_"Yeah that's right, you, me, Glimmer, and both from two." As marvel said 'two' Clove and I both nodded once._

_"No thanks." He turned to go and Glimmer blinked before calling out to him._

_"No?"_

_He paused. A fist clenched, then turned, and looked straight into her eyes. I swear I saw her flinch as he did so. "Correct. No."_

"Cato… this isn't a good thing at all you know… he'll be no easy target." I turned to see Clove who was muttering to me, Glimmer was throwing a fit and Marvel was still trying to calm her down.

"I know Clove… I know. We'll try and get him at the bloodbath, he'll be there, he'll fight, and he'll want supplies. We'll pick off the weaklings, by then the rest will have scarpered and we'll gang up on him before he can get away. Deal?"

"Alright. Come on, let's calm Blondie down."

* * *

"Yo. Clove. Get up"

"Huh… why? I was having such a nice dream…"

"Our escort wants you obviously… interviews tonight."

"Uh, already?"

"Yep." I walk out of her room as she gets out of bed slowly. My escort hurries up to me and quickly starts firing questions at me "is she coming? What state was she in? Does she need help?"

"No, no, and why would she want help getting out of bed?" seriously how pathetic are these capitolites.

Clove's POV

Dragging myself out of bed is much harder than I thought it would be. A steaming hot shower is the only thing that seems to awaken me from my sleep state yet it also awakens me to the fact that I have to spend half a day with our escort… great.

"Oh Clove how marvellous to see you!" One sentence and already I'm agitated and I know it will only get worse. And of course, I'm right. For the next _four hours_ I am forced to walk up and down in heels, practice my 'etiquette' learn to sit up straight, smile like a true lady and blah blah whatever. For once I'm thrilled when I'm told that I next have to see Enobaria, because in all honesty, she scares the shit out of me, but at least I respect her.

Cato and I eat lunch together, we only have half an hour break and he tells me nonchalantly that all Enobaria does is go for your angle, and ask about what you've planned for the arena, little is planned for the interview. I nod, taking in the information and then smirk at him cruelly as I explain the hell that I've just been put through.

When I leave for Enobaria, I can't help but feel a satisfied smirk twitch at the corner of my mouth as I see Clove walking off as if he's about to fall into his worst nightmare, but for Cato, this is probably true.

"Clove. Do sit" I nod respectfully at Enobaria, it's practically a custom back in district 2, and then take my seat.

"So Cato tells me you are already allied with district 1, and that yesterday on your last day of training you allied with the girl from 4? Correct?"

"Correct. We attempted an alliance with 11 on the second day but he turned us down."

"As I expected. How do you plan to deal with this?" I had a feeling she'd ask that.

"Cato, myself, and our allies will go to the cornucopia as planned. Due to 11's skill and build we are united in the belief that he will be there too, fighting for supplies and picking off the weaker tributes. Once we have dealt with those who stood in our way we will quickly turn and go after 11 before he gets the chance to run. If he begins to run before all of those in the cornucopia are dead, we agreed that I, Marvel, and Cato will go after him, whilst Coral and Glimmer take on the rest. They should make short work of them."

"Interesting. I hope this works… if not I have no doubt that we will be the biggest threat in the arena, even if both from 12 manage to triple the amount of sponsor money across all others." Yes… I expected that too. There's no doubt that 12 will get all the sponsor money, that's a certain, everyone in the capitol goes wild for the 'girl on fire'. It's pitiful really.

"How do you plan to split the watches?"

"Two with the lowest scores." That's another thing; we get our scores last night. Cato and I both got 10's, though neither of us have any idea how 12 got an 11… "So that leaves Coral, and someone from 1 as she got 8 and Glimmer and Marvel were tied on 9." I wonder what Glimmer's skill actually is… she never really showed anything in training to any of us. Maybe Marvel knows.

Enobaria nods and then we simply talk about my 'angle' for the interview as well as other strategy plans. I cope with it pretty well, I'm used to Enobaria and I know what I'm talking about and so am happy to have had the fortune of having her second. This feeling is amplified when I then see Cato. As soon as he comes out of the room he looks like he's going to kill someone whilst our escort titters behind him. I smirk at him an eyebrow raised; didn't he believe me when I said it was hell?

* * *

"Welcome! Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, fellow viewers across Panem, welcome to the final night before the 74th annual hunger games begin! Tonight we have an assortment of tributes, a great 24 who tonight will tell us all about themselves and tomorrow will fight for the chance to be crowned victor!" There was a loud burst of sound from the crowd as they began cheering and shouting, some calling names some simply shouting for Ceasar to get on with it and bring on the tributes.

"So without further ado let us get these interviews under way! Let me introduce you to Miss Glimmer from district 1!" There were cheers and whoops from the crowd as Glimmer walked towards the chair beside Ceasar blowing kisses to the crowd and winking. Well it as obvious that she'd gone for the sexy approach. I sat calmly in my dress, a simple orange dress that went down to just below the knee, and waited calmly for my turn. Soon they were finished with district one and I heard my own name being called.

I walked towards the seat smiling sweetly, I was to be determined, but likeable, the first was easy, second not so, but I was 'determined' so I was determined to make sure they liked me. I needed sponsors after all.

"Clove how lovely to meet you!"

"And you Ceasar I must say it is a pleasure" I smiled at him happily as he laughed happily and told the crowd how much of a 'charmer' I was.

"So Clove, enjoying the capitol?"

"Oh yes it's fabulous!" –ly annoying. "The architecture, the decorations, it's so beautiful, it's a shame I can only look outside my window, you can only see so much from one glance you know."

"Quite, do you think if you'll win you'll come back and look around properly some day?"

"Oh yes, definitely" -not.

"And do you think you'll win."

"Ceasar, I was born to win, I assure you now that anyone who puts their money towards me will not waste it and I will come out a victor." I couldn't help but smirk arrogantly at him, to be honest it was true, who was going to stop me? "The only challenge for me will be my district partner but I'm sure I can handle him" I quickly wink to the crowd, slightly cheekily.

"Haha! How excellent, excellent, well our time is up but I have the utmost confidence in you and if you do win I can't wait to see you again!" I smile at him and graciously stand and curtsy to the crowd. Well, that was painless, except for these heels which are _killing_ me. I wink at Cato as I return to my seat and he simply smirks at me before going to take his place by Ceasar himself.

Cato is asked near enough the same questions as me, how's the capitol, does he think he'll win, can he really take on me, that one made me nearly burst out laughing, controlling myself was much more difficult than I expected it to be. The last question catches me a little off guard though and I quickly pay attention, though I'm not sure why.

"So Cato, got a girl back home?"

"Well as much as everyone wishes they were, I don't have a girlfriend Ceasar." And then his time is up.

I watch the rest of the interviews go by without much attention, save for my allies and 11. 12 nearly fluffs hers entirely, not even paying

attention to the first question. He asks about her sister, and how she's feeling, and it's true that she wins over most of the crowd. Bitchy sponsor stealer. And then it's her district partner 'lover-boy'. I sigh, when will this end? Oh well, only one more.

"So Peeta, got a girl back in district 12?"

"Oh I'm afraid not Ceasar."

"But a charming man like you must have your eye on someone."

"Well there is this one girl… but I don't think she's ever noticed me."

"Well perhaps if you came home a victor, I'm sure she'll notice you then."

"That's… not possible."

"Oh, why?"

"She came here with me." And it's there, that last, stupid, undeniably annoying sentence, that truly set's me on edge. 'She came here with me' it rings in my ears over and over again as the crowd 'aww's' and gasps, some even seem to cry.

They are so, dead.

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**Okay yeah sorry this is a litte late had a lot on at the weekend, my teachers are still obsessed with essays! But I got a really good mark in my english exam and felt like it was an omen saying that i just had to put up the next chapter. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it and i'll try to put chapter 5 up as soon as I can! Please Review :D! **

**-Tara**

**xxxx**


	5. It begins

**Hey guys! okay so here's chapter 5, so sorry that i took two weeks to update but my exams have started so i've been revising like crazy but i'll be on holidays at the end of this week so i should be back to updating soon and this fanfic will be finished by christmas :D!**

**xxxxxx**

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Chapter 5-It begins

Glimmer's POV

"Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to the beginning of the 74th annual Hunger Games!" I look around me slowly, checking to see who I'm close to. To the left of me is the girl from 7, and to my right, the boy from 10. I keep looking and see that Marvel is only 6 to my left, not too far away. Cato and Clove are one apart from each other and are both near the other side of the circle of tributes, but not behind the cornucopia.

The arena isn't what I expected, but I'm sure it will work to my advantage. To one side of me, is a vast lake. I'm hoping it's the only water source as it should draw tributes in making them easy pickings, but I don't think I'll be that lucky. To another side of me, is a grain field. Shit. That's where 11 will go if we don't kill him and he's from the agricultural district he'll know his way around it easily.

I look to above the cornucopia to check the countdown. 30 seconds to go. I turn and now look to the last area, a forest. No doubt that's where most of the tributes will go, and that's where we'll look for them tonight. Smirking, I meet Marvel's eye and nod once.

3 seconds.

I turn and focus my eyes on the cornucopia.

2 seconds.

A knife… yes, I'll grab that first of all.

1 second.

I poise myself ready to run

BOOM

I'm gone, speeding away straight towards the cornucopia, the light gleaming off of the knife as it sits there, waiting for me. I'm there, at the cornucopia, and grab the dagger immediately, then I turn and find the district 9 girl going for a backpack just in front of me, she hasn't seen me. I throw myself forward and tackle her to the ground. She screams and then my dagger has passed through her chest. She lies there, dead. One down, 22 to go.

Clove's POV

Katniss and another boy are going for the same backpack. I grabbed my knifes moments ago to find Glimmer already on top of the girl from 9. I quickly pull out a knife and release it straight for the pair of them. It hits the boy straight in the back and he falls to the floor, either dead or dying. I quickly draw another and fling this one for Katniss, I don't know how she got that 11 but I'd rather she died now rather than later. To my anger she's pulled the bag up so she's got it on properly, and the knife embeds itself in that instead of her. Great, now she has a weapon as well. I spin around to see Marvel spear a girl through her stomach and then as soon as she falls, pull out a knife and stab the boy from 8 straight in the chest, what a fool, going so close to him, idiot.

Turning again I see 11, I go to throw my knife but too late, he's in the grain field, he's got a sword, he's gone, soon being hidden away from us as the grain covers him. Great.

Cato's POV

I smirk as my second target falls to the floor and then turn and see the others are finishing their own kills. Clove and I walk towards each other, not speaking, and then wait.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

11. 11 cannons.

"11 bodies. 11 cannons." I nod at her comment and then turn to see the boy from 12 being dragged towards us by marvel. The boy from 3, who was hiding in the cornucopia, is now working hard to dig up the mines about the area. We agreed to have him join us after the girl from four, Coral I think, agreed to Glimmer's invitation. He said he could keep our supplies protected; besides, we can just kill him when he stops being useful anyway.

"What the hell is he doing here?"

"Says he can help us find Katniss." Clove instantly spins around and glares at him. I know that glare, she doesn't trust him.

"Oh yeah? And why should we believe him?"

"Because I know what she did to get her 11! And I know all about her and she's going to have to die if I want to get home and I don't stand a chance against her." Glimmer looks to him carefully; Coral at her side and nods once.

"Alright you're in." Marvel instantly drops him but Clove and I instantly turn on Glimmer in outrage.

"What do you mean he's in?! Who put you in charge?"

"Oh shut up two." She glares at us and then walks towards the cornucopia. "Come on! We need to empty everything that's left and see what we have, then pile up all the food except for that which we'll put in our backpack for our meals throughout the day and tonight's hunt." Bossy bitch…

Clove glares at her and I nudge her quickly "We need her for now Clove…" I bend down slightly, after all she is a lot smaller than me, and mutter quietly into her ear. "After we've gotten rid of one of the bigger targets or it's down to the final 8, then we'll kill them… deal?"

"Deal… as long as it's my knife that slits her throat and I'll cut her hair off to boot." Chuckling darkly, I nod and walk after one. The boy from 3 quickly jogs up to us and informs us that he's dug up all the mines and he'll be able to reactivate them by tonight when we go on our hunt. I nod once at him, at least he doesn't annoy me. Yet.

We enter the cornucopia and slowly begin to sort everything into piles. Food, weapons, and everything else like matches, sleeping bags, and the sort.

By the end of sorting, which seems to have taken most of the day and we only had one break for lunch, we each have the weapon we want, and a medium sized pack. In each pack we have matches, a sleeping bag, and then the rest simply varies. In mine I have 3 bags of dried fruit as well as 2 cans of food, I'll have finished most of it by the end of the day but we only need it for travelling so I'm not too worried.

We pile everything up and chuck 3 a weapon and tell him to get busy. The kid says he can arrange the mines, which to my amazement he has reactivated (nerd), around our pile of supplies so that no-one but ourselves will be able to get it and we'll be able to leave it whilst we all go track down some tributes.

"How long do you think the games will take Cato?"

"No idea… until everyone's dead."

"No shit… but…umm... Cato?"

"Yeah?"

"What would… what would you do if… if it was just us two left. At the end." I pause, in all honesty, I don't know. Clove's my best friend, has been ever since we met all those years ago… I can remember it like it was yesterday.

_"Get up Cato!"_

_I force myself up and glare at my opponent. I'm 10, just 10 years old, faced with the best 12 year old in this place, next week he'll start training with those eligible for the games. I pick up my sword and get ready to attack again, waiting for him to strike. There, he attacks, in three fluid motions he's fit my arm, my leg, kicked the back of my knee and now the sword is pointed at my throat, and I did nothing to stop it._

_"Pathetic Cato… Ag-" The bell goes, signalling lunch and catching my trainer off guard. "Hmph, saved by the bell, no lunch, 10 laps, and then practice with the dummies, by tomorrow you better be able to beat them." She stalks off and the boy above me continues to hold the sword at my throat, smirking._

_"You may as well give up Cato, you're brother died last games and he was meant to be one of the best, obviously he wasn't…" I can feel my blood boiling, how DARE he insult my brother. _

_"That wasn't his fault!"_

_"Idiot should have seen the mutts coming" Yes… he should've done. He'd broken his alliance with the careers two days before and so was wondering round on his own. In those two days three out of four of the other careers died, leaving him, the district two girl, a weakling from five, and the boy from four. _

_The games had been going on too long and they were tired of it, they sent swarms of mutts into the arena to drive all four into the centre, yet my brother was sleeping… on the ground. The mutts found him and he'd barely woken up before they began to rip him to shreds. I screamed at the TV in panic, outrage, as my mother and father cursed. "There goes our hope of receiving some winnings and moving out of this stupid apartment." I looked to them in shock, how could they not love him? How could they only care about their money? I ran out of the room crying, floods of tears falling down my cheeks. I don't even remember who won._

_"Don't you dare insult my brother…"_

_"Or what?"_

_"OI!" As one, the heads of me, and the guy who defeated me turn to look to the newcomer's voice, and spot a small girl, she must have been what, 8, walking over to us, a knife in each hand._

_"Get off of him you bastard."_

_"Who the fu-"_

_"Get off of him, or this knife will end up in YOU instead of being held in my hand." She glared at him menacingly, flicking her long black hair out of her face and I swear I saw her glance in the direction of the door… was she thinking of running? Though… for an 8 year old she had guts, but she was biting off more than she could chew here._

_"Think you scare me?" The boy got away from me and walked towards her advancing on her._

_"Nope. I just think you're easy to manipulate." To my astonishment, she started giggling, but it landed her a punch to the jaw at the exact moment that a trainer came in._

_"Allan! How dare you attack an 8 year old!" Of course… one of our only rules… fighting is only to be done within 3 years of your own age…. Allan was 12; this girl was 8… well he's in deep shit._

_"Get your sorry ass running laps, NOW!" Laps… yeah that won't be the end of it. The trainer quickly rushes to the little girl to look over who seems to be crying, yeah she was pathetic after all… the trainer speaks to the slightly softer than usual, well that won't last long… after a few seconds the girl seems to calm down and the trainer takes her into lunch, I watch her go confusedly and then go to proceed with my own laps, staying as far away from Allan as I possibly can._

_It wasn't until that evening that I saw her again as I made my way back home annoyed, and starving, due to not eating since breakfast. Stupid trainers._

_"You know you could say thank you."_

_Whipping around I see her, the small, little 8 year old, with long flowing black hair and piercing eyes, eyes staring straight at me._

_"I thought you ran off crying…"_

_"Pfft, that was just so that git would get in more trouble. Which he did by the way, he's still running laps after hours now and he's going to miss tomorrow's training and has to work even harder the day after." Well... that was good to hear._

_"So are you going to say thank you or what?"_

_"For what…"_

_"Umm… well…" She pauses and I raise my eyebrow before she glare and says rather quickly "for getting that dick of a guy off of you maybe."_

_"You swear a lot for an 8 year old…"_

_"And? Are you saying thanks or what?"_

_"Fine. Thanks…" I turn to leave and then pause, turning around. "Who are you anyway?"_

_The girl smirks at me, earning her a glare, before she flips her hair out of her face and simply says. "Clove."_

_"Cato."_

_"Nice to meet you… but you might want to work harder with the swords." I smirk and nod to her once and then turn to go again, making my way slowly back towards my house. _

_"Also your hair will get in the way… maybe tie it up."_

I can't help but smile at the memory as I look down at Clove with her jet black hair tied up in a high ponytail and then realise, she did follow my advice after all…


	6. The Hunt

**Okay so here it is, Chapter 6, warning you now there is a little bit of gore later on but it is outlined by authors notes in case you want to skip it. Hope you like it all the same!**

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Chapter 6-The Hunt

Clove's POV

"Cato. You ready?" We've been planning for hours now, taking a few naps along the way, we all agreed that we'd want to start hunting at sunset then the real fun would begin.

"When have I not been?" He sits up properly, having been sharpening his blade for about an hour now whilst lying casually on the floor.

"Good."

"Oi! 2! Get over here!" I grab my knife jacket and shrug it on before standing at Glimmer's oh so sweet command. _Bitch_. Cato soon follows suit and we walk towards the two from 1. In his hand, Marvel wields a spear, whilst Glimmer holds a bow, which instantly triggers the memory of her in the training centre and how she missed by around 10cm. Pathetic.

"Oi! 12!"

"What?"

"We're leaving, come on." 12 instantly shoots daggers at Cato as he shouts at him like all he's doing is imagining killing him in his sleep.

"Don't even try it 12…" His gaze instantly flicks to me and even though he's bigger than me I can tell he's intimidated, as he should be.

Cato quickly comes behind me his sword out and ready as he glares at 12. I have to admit he's become a lot more protective in the arena, though I'm the only one he trusts, and he's the only one I trust, especially against this kid. He says he can help us find the girl, 'the girl on fire', but I can't trust him, she got an 11 so we know she must be a threat even if we don't know what she can do, but why does he want to help us? So we take out his biggest threat? I'll just have to wait and see…

* * *

We've been walking for what feels like hours with no sign, though all of us have been on lookout. I told them hours ago that Katniss went this way but she's had over a day's walk ahead of us, and apart from a few animals, one of which Cato killed just for something to do, there's been no apparent signs of life.

"Clove are you sure she went this way?"

"I saw her alright!"

"Then why didn't you kill her"

"I tried to Blondie!"

"Wait, Clove… you missed?" I glare at Cato now. _Thanks for reminding me._ "But you never miss!"

"I didn't 'miss' she blocked it, with her rucksack that she got from the other kid I killed okay?" Now I'm pissed, I saw her, and Blondie here just won't believe me. Much to my annoyance, I can see where she's coming from, we haven't seen any signs of her this whole time.

"Why haven't we seen any snares 12…?" Marvel starts speaking now, his tone annoyed and cruel, which is surprising as he usually just spends all his time making sure Blondie doesn't get a splinter.

"I don't know, she hides them well anyway, we'll be lucky to see them and she'll only make them around her, not all over the place." When we first started heading this way, hoping to find her, Cato instantly asked how she'd got an 11 in her private training session. 12 soon explained that back in 12 she went out of the boundaries and made snares a lot with her friend, bringing food back for the district and something about a 'hob' whatever that is. Apparently she can make them pretty elaborate, so we've been careful were we've been walking for a while now, none of us wanting to fall prey to some rope.

"Hmph." That's all that escapes from Marvel before he begins walking again, apparently satisfied.

"There!" My head is the first to whip around at my friends voice and I instantly see him pointing above us at a thin trail of smoke. He looks to me smiling menacingly, almost manically at the prospect of prey. I look around and see Blondie about to speak and instantly cut her off, shouting "Let's move!" She glares at me, but I don't care, I'm gone, running quickly towards the smoke, two knives already in my hands, Cato practically next to me. Behind him runs Coral, who's been quiet most of this time, then Glimmer, Marvel running protectively alongside her and 12 pulling up the rear.

I quickly skid to a stop and crouch, the rest quickly following suit as I hold up a hand for silence. When it comes to killing, I am the one to take charge… and anyone who defies me can end up as my target. I look around at the others and at Cato, then nod, before quickly pointing at Glimmer and Marvel, motioning them to go round behind them, then to Coral motioning for her to take the left, 12 the right. After 3 minutes, I feel sure they're all in position and look to Cato.

"Me first… wait 20 seconds." He smirks at me and nods, as I stand up and walk towards the girl.

"Well hi there." She quickly screeches and looks up at me terrified; she seems… what, 14? No wonder she started a fire, anyone older would know how stupid a move this would be, but, oh well, not like she was going to win. I smirk as she scrambles away then goes to get up but Marvels there now and smirks down at her as she screams ago and goes to turn, but there's Coral. She's whimpering now, terrified, and goes for her final option to only be blocked again.

Cato comes up behind me smirking, whilst Glimmer stands giggling behind Marvel. "Aww she's crying, how sweet!"

"Isn't it?" Marvel smirks and goes to kick her and she coughs and crumples in pain. The fun has begun.

**Okay, light-hearted readers may want to skip this next bit as it is a little bit gory… they are careers after all, so just scroll down to the next authors note a little while down if you don't want to read it.**

Cato advances and quickly brings his sword down in one motion, straight through her leg. There is a horrid cracking sound as I hear the bone snap and practically rupture as the blade goes through it, just below her knee.

She screams and screams as I quickly advance and put my arm to her throat, pinning her head down to the floor. "P-please let me go."

"Let you go? Hmm… I don't think so." I slowly draw my knife across her cheek smiling maliciously as she continues moaning and screaming in pain from all of our attacks. "You know… maybe we will…" I get up and begin to walk away and the others look at me confusedly, 12 is nowhere to be seen and 4 just looks disgusted.

"What are you doing?" I smirk at Cato, and he instantly gets the message, as Blondie and Marvel cautiously follow us, though we don't get far. I stop and look back to the girl as he tries to crawl away, then smirk and look to Marvel. I drop my voice and mutter "Can you make your spear go through a knee joint?"

He smirks maliciously, though Blondie just looks annoyed I didn't ask her, though why would I? She'd only miss. I watch as he draws back his spear, and releases and instantly, even though I saw it with my own eyes, know its hit by the scream that meets it and the second sickening crack. I take out a knife and fling it at her shoulder as she falls screaming in pain.

"Enough!" I look to 4 and glare but smirk. "Fine." Cato walks up to her as she writhes on the floor amongst her own blood, and his sword plummets through the air and through her stomach as she stops moving.

**Okay gore's over, sorry about that but I thought that as they are careers they're unlikely to kill simply, sorry!**

"Let's go…" I nod at Cato as he hands me my knives, and Marvel his spear, both of which he pulled out after he stabbed the girl. We turn and head off, 12 not far behind us, where'd he come from?

"Why hasn't there been a cannon….? Are you sure she's dead Cato?"

"Of course I'm sure! I killed her didn't I!?"

"Well then why hasn't there been a cannon!" I look to Cato and Blondie annoyedly about to speak when 12 shouts over all of us "Oh I'll go okay?!"

He's gone for about a minute, before a cannon goes off and another minute before he reappears. "She dead?"

"She is now…"

"Good."

"Suns about to come up, let's head back and get some sleep, Cato, Marvel, you're on first watch, then Coral and 12, then me and Glimmer, got it?" They nod and we head back quickly, wiping our weapons on the bushes as we go in order to clean them of the girl's blood. I pause just before we get back as I go to wipe my knife of the grass and watch as the blood seems to glow in the moonlight, but it isn't red… it seems almost… black. I look at it confused, as a pang of guilt hits me, apart from today, I'd never killed before but it seemed natural, something that had to be done, and I have been trained to do it all my life but didn't people always say killing was wrong? I suppose rules don't matter in the hunger games…

"Oi! Clove!"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm coming." I suppose it's survival of the fittest and the weak have to die so the strong can succeed.

* * *

Cato's POV

"Coral."

"What?"

"We'll wake you in one and a half hours, got it?" She sighs but nods, before crawling into her sleeping bag. We forgot all about the kid from 3 and were surprised when we got back to find out food piled high not far from the cornucopia and 3 burying his last mine.

7 and a half hours until we get ready to hunt again, and I can't help but hope that we don't find Katniss. I want to kill her, I do, she's showed Clove and me up far too many times this past week, but I want her to suffer. The Capitol love her, that's' obvious enough, and if I want to be liked, I need them to like me, but killing the favourite straight off the bat will do me no good… No, I hope that Katniss is the last to die, and it's just me and her left.

My eyes drift over to Clove and I can't help but feel a pang of guilt, I imagined it with just me and Katniss and forgot about Clove completely and in order for me to be in the final 2 with her, Clove will have to die as well as everyone else in the alliance, but what would I do if she died? Clove's been my friend for years, and even though all my life I've been trained to kill, trained for this day, I don't know what I'd do if she died. Worse, what if it was us 2 in the final showdown? Would I be able to kill her? No matter what, neither of us have family to return to, not really, both families hate us. I suppose I at least have my siblings which my winnings could help to look after but Clove? She has a sister who she's not seen in years, and another one who's married and even though talks to her, never really sees her, though she was the only one to come see her at the justice building. Even if her other sister has wanted to come, I doubt her father would have allowed it.

"You like her, don't you?"

"What?"

"Your district partner. You're great… friends, right?"

"Yeah… yeah we are."

"How long?"

"8 years I guess… give or take." Marvel sighs and leans back on his elbows.

"Looooonnggg time."

"Yeah I guess… what about you and her?" I nod over to where Glimmer is sleeping, her shimmering blonde hair framing her face in an almost angel-like fashion.

"Oh um, we don't, I mean she doesn't really… well, I've seen her around in 1 before I guess." Yeah… he likes her. No doubt has been watching her for years.

"Yeah, I get it…" He nods to me, and we spend the rest of our watch talking about menial stuff that neither of us really cares about and he keeps glancing back at Glimmer, in an almost protective fashion, would he die to get her out? She wouldn't for him that's for sure, but who knows.

My eyes find Clove, her small form curled up in her sleeping back, her knife jacket beside her, one knife missing, which I know for a fact will be being held tightly in her hand. Do I know too much about her? Or have I just been around her that long… I don't know… but if I want to get out, she has to die, or will I get her out? I can't decide, she's my best friend or… is it more than that?

I sigh and look back towards the trees, and to no surprise find no movement. These are the hunger games, and no time for such thoughts, and with that, my mind empties all thoughts of Clove, at least for now, and I look forward, waiting out my remaining time on watch before I too can fall asleep and forget the world and all that awaits me in this hellhole.

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**Okay so I hope you liked this chapter, sorry for the gore bit but I hope you see how Cato's having his doubts, will he start to think of Clove as more than a friend? Or will he shut her out completely? See in my next chapter! Review pleaaseee ^^**

**-Tara  
xxx**


	7. The Girl on Fire

Chapter 7-The Girl on Fire

Cato's POV

"Ha! We've got you now Katniss!" Clove shouts gleefully as we begin the chase having finally found miss 'girl on fire'. We'd started the days hunting an hour ago and we were getting worried, no-one had died since the girl we found who ended up being from district 8 and were worried the gamemakers would send something. Luckily, then we found her, right by a small pool. We'd started shouting excitingly at once and the chase began, she'd caused so many problems and even if I had imagined it being just me and her in the end, the 'final battle' as it were, I couldn't care less right now; the sooner she died the better.

We skidded to a halt by a tree as she pulled herself up and I couldn't help but cross my arms and smirk up at her. "That won't help you Katniss."

"Oh? Then come up and get me."

"Gladly." Bitch trying to mock me? Yeah, she's fucked. I put my sword between my teeth and instantly began to climb the tree, though to my annoyance she only climbed higher. I kept climbing and half way up I stretched out my left hand reaching for a branch just above my head but it snapped and I fell crashing to the floor.

"Well done Cato…" Clove looked at me and rolled her eyes and all I could do was glare.

"Glimmer! You've got a bow fucking shoot her."

"Don't boss me around!"

"Oh so you want her to live?" She looks at me, about to open her mouth but closes it. Good. She turns to the tree now and knocks an arrow, then pulls the arrow back and after a second of aiming, releases it. Even more annoyingly, Katniss dodges it with ease, not that it was very well aimed, and doesn't even get grazed. I half snarl now, pissed as fuck until 12 speaks up.

"Come on… just wait her out, she's not going anywhere and when she does come down, we'll kill her."

"Fine. Marvel get wood, Glimmer fuck off and collect some more water."

"Oi! I'm in charge."

I go up to her now my sword in my hand and tower over her. "Not, anymore." With that I turn away, dismissing both from 1 as they go off to do their jobs (if slightly annoyed about it). Coral, 12, get some wood too; we won't need food as we've got plenty for the night. Clove and I will stick here."

Both of them nod as Clove and I go to make camp a few metres away from the tree though not so far that the branches don't offer shelter.

"So… someone got a bit bored of miss prissy from one?" I don't answer her. I know if I want any hope of winning in this arena I can't stay close to Clove, and with Katniss gone, I'm probably her only competition, especially if Blondie can't get a decent weapon.

"Saw her fail in the training centre too. Maybe the bows not her strong suit?"

"Idiot shouldn't have grabbed it then." Clove smirks at me and looks up at Katniss before dropping her voice.

"How long do you think she'll last?" I don't answer her at first, I don't know how many supplies she's got, but she can't stay in a tree forever, I just hope the gamemakers start a hurricane or something that brings it crashing down, would speed everything up at least.

"I say 2." Clove smirks wickedly up at Katniss and I know she's picturing the 'oh-so-great' girl on fire being brought to ash, but I won't imagine anything, I won't pay attention, I'll just wait until she's down and then I'll kill her, simple as that.

Clove's POV

Enobaria warned me on the day of the reaping that this could happen, that if friends go in together it can go two ways, they either become closer than they ever have before or they just… drift apart.

Cato and I have been friends for years; we met in my first few weeks of training when he was fighting that boy… that asshole. From the next year onwards, we grew closer and closer, becoming friends, close friends, and then best friends. I learnt more about him as he learnt more of me, he told me of his dysfunctional family, how his brother died in his hunger games a few years ago and all her parents wanted was the money.

In nearly every spare moment Cato and I had outside of training, we would spend together, usually in the park, district two luckily being rich enough to have such luxuries though only old and rich people ever seemed to go there, but there was one place that was ours…

_"Cato and Clove's…. Tree. There! Done!" I turn to beam at Cato as he smiles at me. _

_"Cool! Now it's official, this is our territory ain't it Clove?"_

_"Yep!" I flop down on the grass at the base of the tree beside Cato smiling._

_"Hey C, when you win the hunger games, swear you'll get a house in the victors village? And reserve one for me right next door?"_

_"Clove it's only your first reaping you can't be thinking about entering already."_

_"Why do you think I train knucklehead?"_

_"Who you calling a knucklehead, knucklehead?"_

_"Very mature using my own words against, oh I shake in fear and burst into tears at your harsh words!"_

_"Oh Shut up." The 14 year old Cato goes to hit me across the back of the head smirking and surprisingly this time, I let him before making a pout in his direction._

_"Aww did the wittle 12 year old get ups- OW! Shit Clo you sure can punch."_

_Shaking my first I smirk at him "Of course I can, I was taught by the best wasn't I?" Cato smirks at this; he'd helped me with extra training for years, especially in wrestling though I was awful in sword fighting. In return I helped him with agility, he wasn't the best at climbing but it was better than knife-throwing, first time he tried that he nearly took someone's eye out._

_"You never answered my question though; swear to save me a house?"_

_"Hmm, yeah all right."_

_"Not next to Enobaria though!"_

_"Aww I thought you liked her?" This of course earned him a sceptical look; no-one likes Enobaria… Enobaria is only feared. She cares for no-one and no-one really cares for her they only care for themselves._

_"Come on it's the reaping tomorrow we better go."_

_"Oh yeah… families will want to celebrate."_

_"Yep! Not long until our turn Clove!"_

_"Yep!" I grin at him as we begin to make our way back to our respective homes though we part soon enough, back then we lived a few streets away from each other._

_"See you tomorrow!" I call after him as he turns away, his dirty blonde head slowly becoming smaller and smaller. He raises an arm in response calling "Will do!" before turning the corner and vanishing from sight._

* * *

A huge pile of wood is dropped in front of us as I raise an eyebrow. "Wow, couple of nights max and you bring all the dead wood in the forest."

"What, not good enough for you, two?!"

"Oh calm it Blondie. Coral you got any matches?"

"Course" I hate to admit it but I like Coral, not too talkative, not too annoying, and thankfully, not an idiot, though just because I don't hate her doesn't mean I won't kill her if needed. She chucks the matches my way and I catch them, unsurprisingly, with ease, quickly started up a fire as the sun began to set. We'd decided ages ago that setting up a fire would do nothing that would harm us, we always had people on guard so any tribute stupid enough to come looking for the source would only end up dead, if anything it would help us.

"Who's taking first watch?"

"I'll do it." Coral usually always has the first watch… why have I only noticed that now?

"Alright I'll do it with you." Looking up at the sky I see that night has nearly fallen and the sun is barely within sight. "The Anthem will be playing soon… After the anthem anyone not on watch should get some sleep. Cato and 12 can take the second watch." In response 12 just nods as for Cato… all I get is a grunt in response. Fine then.

The anthem plays though of course no faces appear in the sky, there hasn't been a cannon in days, though thankfully now that we have the girl cornered and stuck up a tree the gamemakers won't surprise us.

"Well no-one's dead. Night!" Coral and I take up positions by the fire, back to back so we can watch both sides, a weapon in each of our hands. Once everyone's asleep, we take up the usual meaningless conversation that takes place when on watch. "Do you ever miss your home district, Two?"

"Yeah, yeah I do four… do you?"

"Yeah… There's a beach not far from where I live where my little sister and I used to always go as kids our parents would take us you see."

"Sounds like fun."

"Yeah… You have anything to go home to?"

"Me? No… just two sisters, one of which I haven't seen in years, same with my father, and an odd mother. Nothing special, but if I go home I go home a victor and that's all I need."

"You really do consider this a proper honour don't you?"

"But of course, why? Don't you?"

"No. We may be a career district but the Hunger Games takes too many of our own…. Not something to be celebrated. I heard one person say you never win the Hunger games, you just carry on living, the memories never leaving you."

"Well aren't you a ray of sunshine." She smirks and we continue talking, until eventually we wake up 12 and Cato and I drift into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"AH! Get them off me, Get OFF!" I sit up confused as my ears are suddenly hit with screams, shouts everywhere, and buzzing so much buzzing around me. In confusion I stagger upwards trying to stay focused as the screams of what I presume to be Glimmer fill my ears and buzzing, continuous buzzing fills the air. _Shit._I turn and grab my pack and knife jacket and run, just run, tripping and stumbling as I go, the world shifting before my eyes.

Tracker Jackers. Hazily I form together what must have happened within my confused thoughts; the girl was in the tree, I thought I heard sawing but the anthem drowned it out… perhaps my mind wasn't playing tricks on me, yes, yes she sawed through the branch. The branch had a nest, the nest fell on us and the Tracker Jackers inside stung us… is that what happened? Yes… must be.

Already I feel giddy, dizzy, and disorientated. Back at the training centre in district 2 you get given Tracker Jacker venom when you reach 17 in short bursts, try to build up an immune system… they didn't know I'd be reaped with no volunteer so this is my first time but I know what will happen. Dizziness is first, as well as the pains its worse if you don't- oh shit. Quickly I pull out the stingers that cover my body, cursing for having not done it sooner.

Hallucinations… I know they'll come next. And I'm right, ahead I find my sister Bex running through the forest shouting. My other sister comes in crying. "Why don't you come home Clove? We need you at home." I shake my head yet that only makes me feel worse and I know it won't be long before I pass out and I need to get somewhere safe, somewhere secure. I need to find Cato.

Ahead I can see what I think is Cato… yes, the dirty blonde head or… heads… is ahead. I follow that before he collapses to one knee and it's only a few more seconds before I hear another thump, someone else is with us but then I fall to my knees my hand falling forward into… blood? I try hard to stay awake. I look around again, and then I collapse entirely, and Darkness takes over.


	8. The Aftermath of the Attack

**Heya! Hope at least some of you are stil reading this. Merry christmas! Or Christmas Eve if your in Britain with me, another chapter will be up the day after boxing day so you won't have to wait as long, think of it as my own christmas treat :)**

**Not much action happens in this chapter as it's simply the aftermath and it's just a quick scene from both Clove and Cato's point of view, but they'll be more action in the next chapter I promise.**

**Hope you like it! Review :D**

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Chapter 8-The Aftermath of the Attack

Clove's POV

I wake up groggily in what appears to be the early afternoon and find Cato and Marvel; both already awake, talking a few metres away from me. As I sit up Marvel quickly nudges my district partner and nods toward me and even though he's been distant, I see the look of relief on his face.

"What… happened?"

"Tracker Jackers." Marvel replies a slight edge to his voice

"Is this all that's left of us?"

"Yes. Coral and… Glimmer." His voice catches but he goes to push on, "both died in the Tracker Jacker attack, the girl sawed through the branch when the anthem was playing."

"And 12?"

"He did it on purpose to help her… Cato sliced her leg but let him live, for now, though we'll get him, and his girlfriend."

"When?"

"When we woke up. 12 was beside us… thinking he was still in the alliance Cato sliced him up pretty good, he won't live past a few days without help, surprised he could walk after what Cato here did to him, but if we see him we'll kill him. Right Cato?"

As usual, Cato just grunts in response. What's wrong with him for god's sake!

"So… to get this straight, Girl on fire was in the tree, sawed through the branch with tracker jackers, which landed on us, then escaped, and Glimmer and Coral died?"

"Well… yeah."

"Weren't you and Blondie meant to be on watch?" How does this make sense? Both of them from 1, their _only _joint watch that we've allowed, and they didn't notice?!

"We umm… fell asleep."

Cato's glare at the floor seems to harden now, his forehead creasing in rage.

"You fell… asleep?" This is… unbelievable… asleep?! "Asleep!? Two of our allies _died_, 12 was able to betray us, and Katniss escaped because you and Blondie, fell, ASLEEP?!" I'm on my feet, completely furious. How could he have possibly fallen asleep! This is the hunger games for goodness sake, careers or not we need someone on watch, sometimes we'd have only done one person but with goddam Katniss we made sure to have two and both of them fell secure enough to fall asleep?! All my grogginess and the haziness within my mind is gone, I am sharp, and _incredibly_ annoyed.

"Clove shut up we know!" Cato bellows at me, it's obvious he's furious but he's been silent this whole time.

"Oh so now you choose to speak up?!" Cato glares at me, a low growl coming from within him, though I just glare back, my eyes narrowed, my nostrils flared. He will not stare me down.

"Did we get their weapons?!"

"Do you see any?!" I look around now, annoyed that Cato is the one to remind me of this, yet find none. I turn, rounding on Marvel, a knife already in my hand. "You IDIOT!"

"We were being attacked by tracker jackers if you've forgotten!"

"Ugh!" I go to throw it and find something on my wrist, Cato, of all people, has grabbed me, the bastard. I try hard to wrench it from his grip as Marvel backs up raising his spear defensively, though slackens his grip as he glances at Cato, who no doubt looks threatening.

"Let me go!"

"No." He drops his voice, "we need him." I want to say we don't, I want to say we should kill him now, but with 10 of us left in the arena, we do. We were told not to end any alliances until the final eight if we could, and only then begin treachery if they were still around. Stupid Enobaria…

"Give it." Furious with myself, I drop the knife, which is quickly caught by Cato, who then lets me go, as Marvel now fully lowers his guard, idiot. I quickly sprint at him, drawing back my fist and punching him hard across the jaw.

"OW! Bitch!" I smirk at him, but my fury is slowly ebbing away, lucky for him.

"You deserved it…"

"Not my fault!"

"You fe-!"

"SHUT UP!" both of us spin around at Cato's shouts, and I've seen him looking more commanding, yet with the bossy blonde gone, I guess he really is the new leader of our now, small, and depleted, yet still strong, alliance. I stop speaking and straighten, letting the anger and furious words I want to shout, slowly leave my mind.

"We need to go, it will take the rest of the day to get back to camp, and then we can make 3 grab us more food. Tomorrow we'll recuperate… we still have stingers all over us." At that moment a small parachute floats down which I catch quickly. Opening it I find inside a tub of capitol medicine which will no doubt remove the holes left by the stingers, if only slightly, and get rid of the pain which all of us are still feeling, even if it's only a portion of the pain felt earlier.

"Good. We'll put that on, and then make sure we have everything and get going. Day after tomorrow we'll go find some more tributes, this is still the games… we have people to kill."

Marvel and I nod, and I unscrew the tub and put the gentle gooey liquid onto the holes, watching as they begin to close up, relief flooding over me.

* * *

Cato's POV

Avoiding Clove I probably one of the hardest things I've ever done, and I've only managed it once before, after Tyson, and that only lasted a few days. When I woke up to find 12 already awake and gathering his pack, everything had flooded my mind, rage, fury, and the realisation that the Girl on Fire had escaped. Sword in hand I instantly leapt upon him, Marvel being quickly awoken by my shouts of rage.

"You bastard! You knew she'd escape!"

"Wha-?!"

"You BASTARD!"

"There were no snares were there?! Eh? You just_ lied_. You only joined us to help your stupid Girl on Fire lover!"

"Ah!" My sword swipes across his leg and he collapses yet quickly tries to stagger back up, only to be kicked down by my foot which I then place on his chest.

"Cato what's goin' on?"

Ignoring Marvel I press on, slicing 12s leg again and then pointing it to his neck. "You know what I'm going to do 12?" My voice drops as I lower my head towards his, yet far enough away that he can't hit me with his forehead, I've had that done before and trust me… it hurts. "I'm going to let you hobble away, and with the state you're in, die. And you know what? I'm going to hunt down your girlfriend, so one of the last things you ever see will be the Panem symbol, followed by her face in the sky." He looks to me horrified as I make one more deep gash in his leg, blood pouring all over the ground, and I then kick him aside as he goes to stagger away. "And no supplies!"

I turn annoyed and throw my sword to the ground as Marvel realises what had just taken place. When Clove finally began to stir I cursed inwardly at the relief that flooded me, knowing I need to stop caring if I stand any chance at winning this thing so make sure to face the completely opposite direction from her because no way am I letting myself be weak.

I hear her confused mumbles and Marvel as he informs her, and only grunt when I'm required to respond. Then I hear something that really, really annoys me.

"Weren't you and Blondie meant to be on watch?"

"We umm… fell asleep." Great. My forehead creased in annoyance now, I knew he'd fallen asleep as I was the first to wake up at the sign of tracker jackers, they teach you that when you're only 12 making sure you're bound to wake up at the slightest disturbance. I saw both him and Glimmer fast asleep, or at least I did for 5 seconds before all hell broke loose. Time had seemed to slow down when the disturbance first started, and then I felt the pain as hundreds of tracker jackers flew towards me, tens and hundreds of stingers entering my body and my mind slowing down. There was nothing for it, I had ran, sword in hand, and ran.

"You fell… asleep? Asleep!? Two of our allies died, 12 was able to betray us, and Katniss escaped because you and Blondie, fell, ASLEEP?!"

"Clove shut up we know!" I turn and shout this at her, enraged at her making this so obvious. We all know this for god's sake and I don't need her to remind me! It's bad enough finding out the first time let alone having it confirmed.

"Oh so now you choose to speak up?!" I glare at her, practically glaring, but she just glares back but I don't care, I'm used to her glaring at me, trying to stare me down. I know she's furious, but she must know I am too why can't she just get over it!

"Did we get their weapons?!" Oh now she asks the obvious and it takes all my strength not to hit her.

"Do you see any?!" She looks around for the first time now, and I know she's annoyed that she didn't check before asking. Now however, she does something that I know I have to stop, she turns on Marvel and pulls out a knife, screaming furiously. "You IDIOT!"

"We were being attacked by tracker jackers if you've forgotten!"

"Ugh!" She raised her arm and I know she wants to kill him, and immediately I rush behind her and grab her wrist before she can thrust it forward and release the knife that would set off Marvel's Cannon. She tries to get me to release her, but I know it's futile, I've always been stronger than her, slower, but stronger. Marvel raised his spear but I stare him down, he may be a career but compared to me, he's nothing.

"Let me go!"

"No." Enobaria told us no to break any strong alliance until the final eight, and only kill if they were either weak, or seemed to be plotting against us. I lower my voice and bend down to speak directly into her ear. "We need him." In all honesty, this isn't entirely true, but Enobaria warned us to do what we she told us, otherwise no sponsors and it isn't the final eight… yet. I can see Clove struggling with this, and quickly mutter for her to give me the knife, which after a second, she drops. Yet I can still see the rage inside her, and so I release her, knowing too well what she's going to do, and sure enough, she does, punching Marvel straight in the jaw.

"OW! Bitch!" I roll my eyes at him; idiot should've seen it coming.

"You deserved it…" I have to agree with her at this, twat shouldn't have fallen asleep on watch.

"Not my fault!" Now they're arguing again, and my forehead creases, my eyes narrowing, didn't they get the message before?

"SHUT UP!" both of them spin around at my shout, and they know I've had enough. I look to each of them in turn, daring them to talk back at me, tell me 'no' and try to continue arguing, bbut they don't, and so it's established, I'm the new leader of the alliance, as I should have been from the start. Therefore, I quickly decide what we need to do.

"We need to go, it will take the rest of the day to get back to camp, and then we can make 3 grab us more food." Mines will still be positioned so our food will still be there, and by the looks of it, all of us except for 12 left our rucksacks at the base of the tree, so we need more supplied, luckily I remember that we have them back at camp, so that's fine. "Tomorrow we'll recuperate… we still have stingers all over us." I pause as something catches my eye, and I look up to get a good look at it. A small parachute floats down which Clove catches. _About time. _Enobaria said she wouldn't send us anything unless we needed it, and until now, we haven't needed anything, we have food, water is something we're always in range of, and we haven't been hurt. Clove opens it, and looking over I see what I expected, a tub of capitol medicine for the stingers. Perfect.

"Good. We'll put that on, and then make sure we have everything and get going." Everything in this case being just our weapons. At least both of them grabbed that before they left, even if they didn't get Blondie's or Corals, no doubt 12 will have that now. "Day after tomorrow we'll go find some more tributes, this is still the games… we have people to kill."

They nod at me and Clove begins to apply the medicine to her stingers. She seems to have them predominantly on her arms, luckily the tracker jackers missed anything vital, sadly not the situation for Coral who I just saw get one in her artery, no idea where Glimmer got attacked, maybe they just piled on her they obviously don't get injected with the stuff at their training.

A shudder runs through me at the memory of my first tracker jacker injecting session, though this is luckily unnoticed by the others, Clove who is now rubbing the medicine still deeper, and Marvel as he begins to apply it. It was only a few weeks back into training, they told me that everyone would be injected with tracker jacker venom, and that all those of age would be doing it in groups of 10, previously picked, one in each of the rooms on the ground floor in the western corridor of the building, the rooms there used especially for this type of… 'Training'.

At first it was only small doses, it hurt, but I was able to overcome it, and the hallucinations were nothing bad, they keep injecting you with it weekly until you can fully overcome a full dose of half a litre, and considering just 0.1 of a litre is meant to be enough to drive someone crazy, some people have to stop training because of it. It was when it got to 0.2 it started to get real bad, the pain was awful, and they didn't increase it until I didn't respond to it, even wincing was meant to be classified as failure. One hallucination which I'll never forget was being in that room and Tyson was looking at me from the corner, glaring at me, his muscles flexed, his dirty blonde hair, the same shade as mine, covering one of his eyes. He shook his head disapprovingly at me, signifying I was weak. I could never push the memory out, never get rid of it, even though I knew I had to. I tried harder after that, tried to be strong, and 2 months after that incident I could be injected with half a litre and control my actions. Once you can do that, they test you, checking you can read, not walk into anything, and swing your weapon, it only took me 2 months to pass that, not the best, but as the average is 4, I wasn't too upset.

Clove was meant to start her tracker jacker training 4 months later had she not been reaped, so I wasn't surprised to see her bruised from having walked into things, and no doubt she hadn't pulled the stingers out early on, which, even though we're not trained to do, they don't release true tracker jackers at you (one of the only 'health and safety' hazards we have, if it's only for the trainers and peacekeepers) but you're still told to and fake ones are pressed into you so you know how to, though that's only a 10 minute session.

Marvel nudges me as I wake up from my own personal reminiscing session, and he hands me the tub. Once it's on, relief floods over me as the holes slowly close and the pain starts to ebb away, the gooey moisture flooding my system and absorbing the venom. Once done, I stand, pick up my sword and sheath it in the belt I found at the cornucopia on the first day.

"Come on then." Clove shrugs on her jacket and joins me, as Marvel does the same with his spear and he picks up the tub as well, as we haven't finished it, muttering something about how we may need it later and it could go on the supply pile.

After gaining my bearings, I start off in the rough direction of our camp, full of hope that I run into someone I can kill, just to get rid of my fury, even if it is dormant.

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**Okay I hope you liked that and I promise Cato and Clove will start getting... closer, even if Cato tries to convince himself he doesn't want to (though really he so does. :P)**

**Review and Merry christmas!**

**-Tara**

**xxxxx**


	9. Why act like this?

**Okay so here's the chapter, hope people are still reading this. It's quite short but I think a lot of you will be pleasantly surprised with the turn of events ;)**

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Chapter 9-Why act like this?

Clove's POV

As Cato said, it takes the remainder of the day to get back to camp and the idiot from district 3 is still there, sat on a box with a spear clutched tightly in both of his hands. When he sees us he looks terrified, though I've seen him like that so much I think it's just his usual expression.

Before long he's been ordered to grab us all fresh rucksacks packed with food and a few medical supplies for the next hunt, though I doubt we'll need them. The again… we said that the last time we went out on the hunt for tributes, and that didn't go too well.

"Marvel, set up a fire we've still got wood so we don't need to find anymore, if we do we can send 3, hope he doesn't set himself killed…"

"Why not?"

"Because of the supplies you moron…" I roll my eyes at Marvel's idiotic answer, strong and tall (and well-built) he may be, but he sure is an idiot.

I look up at Cato, though am not surprised when he doesn't look back. "When are we going to kill him? After the next hunt?"

"We'll need all the supplies."

"No shit Marvel…"

"Guys shut up! Once we don't need him to get our supplies, either when there are barely any of us left, or if something happens, doubt that but that's my answer. Alright?"

Both of us nod, satisfied for now, but I know something's up with him and I just… can't deal with it anymore.

When we dispersed, I help Marvel set up camp whilst Cato goes to sharpen his sword, Marvel mutters something about no wood and so marches off, and he quickly bellows at 3 to go with him. Perfect.

Quietly, I walk towards Cato, pausing right before him.

"Why are you doing this?" He stops sharpening the blade, and I know he's thinking hard about what he's going to say next.

"Doing what…"

"Ignoring me."

"I'm not. I'm talking to you aren't I?"

"Fine. Why have you changed. You knew you'd be going into the arena with someone from home. That doesn't mean you have to-"

"I didn't know you'd be coming with me!" he interrupts, and I'm a little taken aback.

"No-one did… they only picked one victor this year, you know that."

"Yes I know."

"And it was you."

"I know!"

"So why have you changed! We've been friends for ages!"

He jumps up and turns to face me, sizing up to me, and even though he's huge compared to me, I don't back down but simply stare up at him. "This is the hunger games! Only one gets out alive!"

"So?! That doesn't mean you have to ignore me! What if I died! Huh?! Then what! You won't care? Is that it?!" I can feel my eyes watering but I try hard to fight them back. I hate him acting like this, hate it.

"No!"

"Then what!"

"Ugh!" he turns and kicks at the crate he'd been sat at and it collapses in on itself, bits of wood flying everywhere. "Just because! Okay?"

"No! Not okay! We've been friends for 8 years Cato, 8 _years_! So what if we're in the same bloody games! I may be in these games but I don't want them to ruin our friendship! We're friends, best friends!"

"We can't be!"

"Why not!"

"because there's only 1-"

"1 victor?! SO?! You know just as well as me that one of us is no doubt going to die either at the hands of 11 or the girl from 12, you know it! It won't be us in the final two so just.. just stop worrying about it! We're a team!"

"We're trained killers!" Tears spill down my cheeks as I look at him.

"We're friends…"

"We can't be Clove!" He looks to me pleadingly, his fists shaking, but I don't care, I know he's scared, I know he's frightened and wants to go home, he wants to win, I know that but I don't care. He's been my friend for 8 years, ever since that day in my first few weeks of training, and I'm not letting that die now. Maybe that's why I do what I do, maybe that's why I then run at him, and before I know it, my arms are around my neck and I'm kissing him.

Fireworks seem to explode inside of me. My sister told me that kissing a boy was magical… but I never believed her. I always thought it pointless and concentrated on my training, knowing that when I was 18 I would go into the games and I could worry about everything else when I came back a victor, assuming I didn't just keep training more tributes and mentoring alongside Enobaria. Yet now that I've done it… and am still doing it, kissing a guy, and of all people its Cato. We've always been friends and ever since the arena I've just… gotten closer, is that the right word? I hate myself for it, knowing that this will be my last few days with him, weeks if we're lucky, but I can't help myself, and so I don't stop, and neither does Cato, because this will probably be our last ever chance.

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Cato's POV

She… kissed me? Clove kissed me. Clove. Kissed. Me. Me, Cato.

No matter how many times I run it through my head I can't make sense of it. She stands looking up at me, having just pulled herself away from me, and I just feel… shocked. Friends we may be, but more than that…?

"Ugh, I, ugh... um." I want to say something decent, proper, tell her how… great that was. Even though I shouldn't, but I just… want to now, I don't care if these are the stupid games, she's right, I should embrace it.

A parachute floats down and we quickly jump apart, remembering we're on camera, and Clove snatches it out of the air. She seems to have a habit for that…

She opens it and her face falls. I quickly join her and she bites her lip. Inside is a broken piece of district 2 bread. Purposefully broken and smashed. I look confused yet Clove seems to understand.

She drops her voice and I listen closely. "Enobaria doesn't want us together… not like that." Ah… now I understand…

"I guess not."

"Only one victor I guess…"

"Yeah."

"I got wood!" We spin around to find Marvel coming back to us, dropping lots of wood on the dwindling fire, 3 coming up behind him, his arms packed full of wood.

"L-later…" Clove mumbles, before quickly moving over to the fire. I sigh and go to help set up camp, getting out our sleeping bags and instructing Marvel he's on watch, and to wake me up in a few hours as I drift off to sleep, my mind still buzzing from the kiss, my dreams full of Clove…

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**Sorry that it was short! Next one will be a lot longer and there'll only be a few more chapters until the end xxxx**


	10. The Girl on Fire Strikes Again

**Yes! We're in double digits for chapters :D! Anyway I hope you like this one! Katniss causes trouble for the careers again sure you know it, but here's the careers POV. by the way this chapter is all in Clove's POV, there'll be an all Cato POV chapter next time. **

**SORRY THIS UPDATE IS SO LATE school work was just piled on me :'(**

**Enjoy!**

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Chapter 10-The Girl on Fire Strikes Again

Clove's POV

CRACK. All of us freeze where we stand, as my eyes spin around to Cato. He stands, his sword hand in the air telling us not to move, a singular finger on his other hand covering his mouth to call for silence.

SNAP. I smirk as Cato grins evilly, that confirms it; there's a tribute out here, our next target.

With a hand of his finger, we previously discussed hand signs and what they mean yesterday back at camp after we ki-… well… yesterday.

A wave of his finger means to form a ring around the target, in this case the location of the sound. I look to Marvel and nod as he heads to the left of the sound, whilst I walk behind it and Cato takes the right. We decided that I look the least intimidating, at first glance, especially when far away because I could be mistaken for a 14 year old due to my size, or a slightly tall 12 year old. This tactic of letting me be seen draws the target in, assuming he or she will try to fight. Both Cato and Marvel will make sure to overtake the sound by about 50 metres, not in view, but in earshot. This tactic draws two possible main outcomes each with 3 subsections in a way.

Outcome number 1, as previously mentioned, the target will mistake me for someone much younger, this is the main outcome. The subsections are as follows: The target will remain where he is and prepare for battle, or he will go to take cover for what he believes will be a 'surprise attack'.

Outcome number 2, the target becomes suspicious and, due to this suspicion with either: try to run out of my sight and (hopefully) earshot, before hiding, or will try to put as much distance between myself and themselves before tiring.

Both of these outcomes of course, have a solution. Should outcome number 1 appear, and the target prepares for battle, I shall begin to fight, Cato and Marvel hear this, and come to my aid. Should outcome number 1 appear but instead of preparing, he tries to hide for the traditional 'if I hide she won't find me so Haha jokes on her' otherwise known as the 'surprise' attack, I will continue following the trail, pretending no to have noticed him and simply look around wearily, whilst either Cato or Marvel, one of which will have heard him approach their direction in order to hide, will begin the fighting, and as myself and whichever is not in conflict hears this, we shall go to their aid.

Should the target instead attempt to run, either with the intention of running and hiding, or running flat out, I will give chase and both Cato and Marvel will go to cut the target off, leading to an eventual (and inescapable) 3 on 1 fight which of course, leads to their death, and one less tribute to worry about.

Once in the semi-circular formation, or the backwards arrow-head formation depending on how you want to look at it, I look to Cato whilst he still remains in view and he puts his two wrists together, his fingers spanning out above like tree branches, another of his many code signs. He then holds up his fingers 10, but he repeats, 20. 20 metres. I nod again, confirming that the message was received and he looks to marvel this time repeating the action 8 times, to show 80 metres. 60 ahead of me (10 extra metres to make up for walking time). Perfect. We begin to walk and I watch as the other two fan out.

We worked out yesterday how many paces to a metre we all do, and in 'sneak mode' (corny I know) I do half a metre per step. After counting out 40 paces I duck behind a tree as a third (and perhaps final) CRACK meets my ears. I count to 3, I purposefully take sneak mode to allow the boys more time to gain position so they should be ready at the exact point the target begins his reaction. I peek around the tree to find the boy from I think 10, he has nothing on him save for the clothes he came in with; doubt he'll be fighting then. On seeing him a distinct image comes to mind of the boy practicing with a baton, surprisingly well, so if he does fight… he could easily use a branch or a small log… not like we're short of them.

I take out my hair tie and slide it over my wrist before standing, my back to him. My most hated part of this plan. In order to look weak and innocent, he needs to think he's seen me before I've seen him… we practiced the technique with 3 where I appeared first and he quickly shrieked thinking we'd turned on him, yet with my back turned, and hair undone he didn't recognise me and thought I was a remaining tribute like 5 and so instead tried to move out of view before I 'saw him', or at least that's what Cato told me. And so, to my great annoyance, this is the plan we work with, a defenceless girl who looks no older than 16, no younger than 12 (though that wouldn't be possible anyway as you have to be 12 to even be in this thing.)

I turn my head left and right and purposefully step on a twig, pretending to shriek in fear at the 'snap', yet never let him see my face. I hear the softest sound behind me as leaves crunch beneath his feet which I now know are approaching me, and gaining speed.

Smirking, I turn and draw out two knives to face him. He has a log raised even though he's still metres away, his posture bent, offensive, yet easy to manoeuvre back into a defensive stance. Instantly, and to my delight, the look on his face turns from careful concentration, to shocked horror as he realises who I am, as he _should_ realise who I am.

"10, right?" I smile, my voice dripping with fake interest.

"2. Right?" he tries to copy my bold way of speaking, yet his voice shakes and I know he will only last seconds, minutes if he's lucky.

"Name's Clove… not that you need to know." I smile and rush at him, he swings the log at me but I duck and swipe at his stomach. He quickly reacts so that as my knife cuts through his shirt (his jacket having been worn undone) he brings the log down so as to knock the knife away, though I still feel the joy of having made contact with him, and though shallow, barely a scratch, I know I drew blood.

He knows it to though doesn't bother to try to aid it, or try to acknowledge about his pain, he concentrates on this situation, and I know I must to. I don't wait, I pounce, with my free right hand I bring the second knife down into his leg, and this, gains an acknowledgement. He screams in pain and as he does so an arm wraps around his neck, Cato, he smirks at me, and then a spear is run through his side, all the way through, skewering him as if he was nothing more than a mere kebab. I withdraw my knife, Cato lets go, and Marvel draws out his spear. The bleeding, lifeless boy falls to the floor, his eyes full of sadness as he realises what's happened.

BOOM. The cannon sounds and it confirms it. He's dead.

"One down, so that makes… how many now?" I raise an eyebrow at Marvel as I use the boys jacket to clean my knife.

"Including us… I'd say he was 10th so… 9."

"Nearly the final eight, how 'exciting'" Cato laughs and I smirk; Marvel too grins as he wipes his weapon on the grassy floor.

"Did he have anything?"

"Nope, he picked up a log for a weapon."

"Ah, fight technique? He looked like the running kind of guy when we passed him, or at least he did to me. What did you think Cato?"

"Got to agree with him… but fighting or not, he lost. Idiot…" We all laugh again as the sun rises above the trees, it must have been morning for a few minutes but none of us had truly realised.

"Come on; let's get back to camp, few more hours sleep before the next preparation for the next hunt and then again the day after and-"

"Cato. We get it. We have a routine and in preparation we sort everything we need blah blah, just like we did with the code signs, correct?"

"Well… yes, correct." I roll my eyes at him and he gives me a shove, I know he wants to be a good leader but sometimes he forgets that we're not idiots, or at least I'm not, can't vouch for Marvel I must say.

Joking and laughing, we head back, to camp, though I can't stop the memory of last night's kiss creeping into my mind, and even if Enobaria says no, I want it more than anything. I know Cato does too but I have to try and suppress it… I know I do… but for now, I go with it, one of us might die soon anyway, and complicating things further wouldn't do any good, so that's what I tell myself, and push it out of my mind as we head back, a small, innocent smile playing on my lips.

* * *

"Cato! Marvel! Get up! Get up!" Smoke. It started rising above the trees a few minutes ago and I quickly try to shake Cato and Marvel out of their slumbers, we've basically become nocturnal since the arena, having only ever hunted at night.

Cato shoots up grabbing his sword and looking around instantly, worried that we're being attacked, which is surprising as I don't think anyone's dumb enough to attack us whilst were a group.

I quickly point up towards the sky and his eyes fall on the smoke. A grin comes over him, making a fire at night is one thing, but in pure day? Now that is just an open invitation. I smile darkly and Cato turns to find Marvel rubbing his eyes annoyedly.

"Why the hell did you wake me I don't h-" He breaks off yawning widely before continuing "-hear nothing…"

"Idiot…" Cato mutters before gabbing Marvel and turning him in the direction of the smoke. He removes his hands from his eyes and looks towards it groggily, yet quickly awakens at the sight of it, a wicked smile crossing his face.

"My bets on the plant lover from 5." It's quite fun that we do this, bet on who the tribute will be, we don't know many of them, and if we do it's only by a number, but even if we don't know them, then we can just make bets to see what number will appear in the sky.

Cato smirks at him. "You're on. My bet is it's the girl from 11. She's 12 right?" He looks to me with a raised eyebrow.

12 years old… wow… "Yeah… how the hell is she still alive?"

"Well she won't be for long!" Marvel says cheerily and looks towards Cato. "Where too boss?" As always, he rolls his eyes, Marvel has been calling him 'boss' just to take the piss since he got over (or seemed to get over) Glimmer. He was seriously upset about her, Cato and I guessed that he just fell for her like all the dumb capitolites but either way, he isn't moping now… and without her, he speaks a hell of a lot more too, nothing to gawp at I guess.

"Where do you think? The smoke dumb ass, come on!"

I grab my knife jacket, yet don't withdraw my usual two just yet, the smoke seems to be a while away and what's the point in wielding them when I've got so much distance to cover first?

We set off at a run, full of adrenaline at the prospect of fresh meat, though it's only 10 minutes before we settle down into a jog.

We're thick within the forest and the sign of smoke is temporarily lost. Cato pauses hesitantly, so we're obviously lost… never leave a boy to pick directions, even if he is a career.

"Oi Clo."

I roll my eyes at Marvel annoyedly. "Clove…. not Clo!" _stupid Marvel_.

"Whatever… can you climb the tree?"

"Why me?" Sure I can but why would I answer simply? He can't get my name right, he won't get a basic answer.

"You're the smallest…" I narrow my eyes at him, dumb Logic. Turning my eyes to Cato, my annoyance grows as he just shrugs, meaning he agrees, and so, grudgingly, I climb up one of the nearest trees a few feet to try and find the trail.

"That way! And we're not far!" I point slightly to the left of where we were headed and quickly jump back down, yet slip on a branch. I topple downwards but instead of hitting the floor, I'm caught in a large pair or muscled arms. "Oh th-thanks Cato." He lowers me sheepishly as I try to force the red out of my cheeks before Marvel sees.

"Nice one Clove nearly falling and breaking something, yeah _that_ would help."

"You climb the tree next time then you idiot."

"Oi both of you! Come on Clove said it's not far let's _go_!"

* * *

"What the hell?" A large heap of wood and dried leaves lies in front of us and we look at it in confusion. Where are the tributes? Marvel and I turn to Cato in unison whilst he kicks one of the burning logs. "Fan out…"

"Wait. What's that….?" Another column of smoke has started to rise into the sky and as I point Cato's look hardens. "I don't know but let's get the bastard that's doing it so I can goddam kill them!" I nod and we set off at a sprint towards the source. We're nearly there when an ear-splitting BOOM reaches are ears, the ground shaking ever so slightly.

In shock, all 3 of spin around as Cato and I say in unison: "the supplies!"

We turn, forgetting the tribute and run, Cato just ahead of me.

When we finally reach it we find the pile up in smoke, all of the charred remains strewn across the ground, the district 3 boy looking around in shock and confusion. In a swift and quick movement Cato walks up to him. He tries to back away, terrified, but he's no match for Cato. Within seconds Cato has grabbed his head, twisted it, and the boy falls to the floor.

BOOM. One more dead.

I turn around to find Marvel nowhere in sight. "Marvel?"

Cato looks to me as he hears me calling for Marvel and his anger, though still prominent, lessens slightly. "What's up Clove…?"

"Marvel's like… vanished. I know he's not as fast as us but still he's nearly always in view… isn't he?"

Even Cato looks a tiny bit worried, we may not care about Marvel but we decided ages ago when we finally take on Thresh we'd need all 3 of us for it to properly work, then we could turn on him. I walk up to Cato in silence. "Should we search nearby? He could have tripped? He is a clumsy idiot after all, even if he is deadly with a spear."

Cato drops his voice slowly. "Or he could be hiding and has turned on us... we're not close enough to the bushes for a proper attack... not yet…" I pause, slightly annoyed I hadn't thought about this but also nod.

"So we do nothing?"

"We do nothing."

We go to gather the remains of the supplies and it's not long before both of us freeze. BOOM. I look to Cato who looks to me in confusion. "Marvel?"

"i… don't know." And I don't… I have no idea who just died.

"Maybe Marvel went after whoever started the fires?" I nod slowly at this comment. I guess it's possible.

BOOM. "So if he killed whoever started them… who was that?"

* * *

**Okay so I hoped you liked this chapter, ironically when I typed, and everytime I re-read **"Why the hell did you wake me I don't h-" He breaks off yawning widely before continuing "-hear nothing…" **I kept yawning :0! But anyway, reviiewwwww **

**Thanks!**

**-Tara  
xxxxx**


	11. The Wonderful Mind of Cato

**So sorry this is late I was aiming to put it up on Saturday but on Friday night I ended up shutting my finger anymore so I couldn't type and then I was ill and... yeah it wasn't the best of weekends for me. But, I've just this second finished off this chapter and (trying not to jinx it) I promise the next one WILL be up on Saturday Night or Sunday Afternoon (GMT).**

**Hope you like it and thanks to all of my dedicated readers, love you all :D! Review :D!**

* * *

Chapter 11 – The wonderful mind of Cato

Cato's POV

Clove and I sit at the base of our camp waiting for the capitol emblem to appear in the sky. We gathered and salvaged as much as we could earlier, Clove was the one with the 'emergency' rucksack, and although we salvaged another, charred and slightly ripped, rucksack, the important things such as food goes in hers.

To our annoyance, we didn't find much, and unless Katniss appears in the sky tonight, we're pretty sure she's the one that left us in this mess. Clove found an arrow head amongst the wreckage earlier, and we know that Glimmer was the only one with arrows and a bow and we're sure Katniss will have taken them. However, both of us now have a rucksack (even though mines pretty… well, bad) with a few pieces of food that should hopefully last us a while, as well as an empty water canister, and of course our weapons. We've also got a couple of bandages but we don't really need them, Clove just uses them to tie and extra knife to her belt.

"Let's see who's dead then…" I'm brought back to reality as Clove's voice tells me that it's time, I hadn't even heard the music already playing in the sky.

Both of us freeze when we see Marvel's face in the sky, a number 1 beneath it. "He's… dead?" Clove voices my own thoughts.

"I guess it makes sense, I mean… he never came back?"

"Yes… but… I thought he would have just gone off on his own, it's not like there are many of us left and he always said he wouldn't really want to face the guy from 11 if he could avoid it."

"True…" Marvel wasn't really my friend, but I was definitely closest to him in here, after Clove that is, especially when I was trying to avoid her.

_"Cato mate… You're not going to avoid her again are you?" _3 and Clove had gone out to get extra firewood and fill up the water, usually we'd just send 3 but with everyone dying and us not being able to get to the pile of stuff, what with the mines, we drew straws and Clove ended up having to go. It was only fair I guess…. Marvel's already gone, and not like I would've gone.

_"Avoid who?"_

_"Don't make me out to be stupid, you know who." He looks at me arms crossed._

_Sighing, I answer him. "I don't know…"_

_"She kissed you. When we went to get wood, 3 and me."_

_"You saw then…"_

_"Yep." He smirks at me._

_"You're not gonna ignore her after _that_ are you? I mean, dude she snogged the hell outta you." I can't help but laugh. I never really thought how it must have looked, probably like she was eating my face. _

_"I guess not… but Enobaria doesn't like it."_

_"Enobaria? The bitch with the Gold teeth? I mean... the scary looking woman who obviously rightfully won her games." At this I burst out laughing once again._

_"Hey! Shut it you know mentors can see us dude, and if I win I don't want her out to get me because I called her a bitch when I was in here."_

_"I guess not. But no I won't… ignore her. But I can't kiss her or be like that with her… gold teeth woman made that quite clear. And yeah I don't care if he hates me when I'm out of here, not like I'll need her anymore, no-one mentors victors."_

_"Well I guess that's true… but if she was out to get you it wouldn't be that great" As a response I simply shrug, I've never really cared about Enobaria._

_"How do you know she doesn't want you guys together?"_

_"She sent us a mashed up piece of district 2 bread."_

_"Ah. Wait you got bread? You didn't save me any?"_

_"Dude we have food."_

_"Yeah… but I never got district 2 bread."_

_"Dude it's just bread." _

I smirk at the memory, he may have been quiet with Glimmer but he was pretty funny when he wanted to be… and, as surprising as it seems, he could read people pretty well. He knew Clove liked me, knew I liked her, and knew I was thinking of ignoring her again, it's nice enough to be friends… even if I do want more, but he was right, I shouldn't ignore her… ever again… there can only be one victor after all.

"So then. Marvel, 3, and the little girl." I blink at Clove's voice. I really need to stop zoning out like that…

"Yeah… so who's left?"

"Well, you and me, girl from 5, boy from 11, and both from 12. 6 of us." Just 6… 5 more deaths until I can go home a victor.

"How many more days do you think the games will go on for?"

"6 of us… minimum, tomorrow, max… well there was that one games that went on for a month."

"Yeah but that's because the arena was bloody massive." And massive it was, a desert that spread so large it would have taken days to cross. The only water source was a few wells and one spring by the cornucopia but there was practically nothing for cover, save a few holes in the ground that people claimed as 'bases' though travelling was the only way to get out of sight… it… wasn't the best games.

"Not like this one's small Cato…"

"I guess… but the gamemakers will have to drive us together eventually. Won't they?"

"Obviously. They already used that fire a while ago. Who knows what they'll do though."

"I guess…" I twirl my sword mindlessly. "Clove, do you miss district 2?"

She looks to me surprised. "Why?"

"well… we've been away for a while, not like we'd ever left it before."

"True… but no. not really. It's not like there's much to miss…" She looks away from me, owing her head slightly and I know she's thinking about her family. As crap as my life's been, and yes, it has been crap, hers has always been worse but she never complains about it, except for the odd joke about her 'bloody mother' we've only really spoken about it once…

_"Do you like your family?"_

_"Yeah I guess, my brothers are annoying, my little one more than my big one, and my little sister is just a pain always trying to beat me. But worse thing is that my parents never stop arguing, like ever! Do your parents argue?"_

_"They used to… My dad left with my second oldest sister a few years ago though."_

_"Oh… don't you ever see him."_

_"Nope. Don't see Rebekah either."_

_"Oh… sorry."_

_"It's... fine." _Even now I can still see the sadness in her eyes, her sleek black hair framing her face as she tries not to cry. I wanted to hug her then… just pull her into my arms, not anything serious just… as a friend. Now I've no idea why I didn't…

"Cato we should probably get some sleep and see what else we can salvage before leaving this dump tomorrow. Deal?"

"Yeah."

"I'll take first watch; wake you up in about… 5 hours?"

"Make it 4."

"Hm, alright."

I turn and lie down as Clove puts a few more pieces of wood on the fire and sleep takes over.

* * *

"Oh come on Clove, you can do better than that!" I smirk as Clove again tries to actually land a hit on me. We moved camp earlier and , tributes can wait until tomorrow. Even in the arena we deserve a break, right?

She goes for an uppercut, one of her now favoured moves it seems but I catch it easily and pull her up by her arm.

"Oh put me down!"

"Stop going for an uppercut and you wouldn't end up like this you know." I roll my eyes at her in a mocking way before collapsing to the ground.

"Always… the balls…" I fall as her laughter rings happily in my head, my brain concentrating simply on the pain.

"You'd think being _so smart_ you'd learn that I always hit you there?"

"You'd think wouldn't you…?" I curse inwardly at how my voice has heightened in pitch, though this only makes Clove laugh harder.

"So… I win I take it."

"What?!" She raises an eyebrow and then goes to kick me again, and I know where she's aiming, even if my hand is still in the way. I raise my other hand and begin talking quickly, "okay okay you win!"

To my relief, she retracts her leg and smirks down at me. I may love her… but sometimes I _seriously _hate her.

Concluding the fight, we spend the rest of the night talking and watching as the gamemaker controlled sun slowly sets, lying down, only propped up by our elbows and for once, I'm truly happy. Okay so I'm not _perfectly _happy, I mean in the next week or so all but one of us is going to die, but I'm with the girl I like, having to do nothing, no training, no working my ass off for my parents, nothing.

"Attention Tributes!" Clove and I look up confused, the voice is in fact coming from everywhere but it's so godlike that we always look to the sky.

"We would like to inform you that there has been a change to the rules." Now I'm really confused… what, we don't have to kill anymore…? Everyone must fight without weapons?

"From this moment onwards, there may now be two victors, should they both be from the same district." What…?

Clove's head snaps towards me yet I'm still trying to work out what's just happened.

"The… the rule change… two tributes from the same district… we're going home? Cato, Cato!"

"Wha-" I look to her confused, we're going… home?

"We're going home! The rule change! We're going home!" Instantly I sit bolt upright, smiling widely at her, and I wrap her tightly in my muscled arms. Then, before I realise what I'm doing, I pull back, look into her eyes as she looks to me, tears of joy spilling from them, before I press my lips against hers.

Screw the games, screw Enobaria, we're going home.


	12. Running Low on Supplies

**Careers are running out of food, shiiitttt, but no seriously I'm sorry this chapters so short next one WILL be nearer to the 3k words mark. Hope you like this chapter!**

**Review!**

* * *

Chapter 12-Running Low on Supplies

Clove's POV

After spending the night in Cato's warm arms, I nearly forget where we are, and what we'll have to do if we want to get out of here. When I wake up the next morning, neither of having been on watch (oops… he he) I can't remember having ever been happier.

Cato smiles down at me, already having been awake. "Morning Midget." I raise an eyebrow at him, faking annoyance. He barely ever calls me midget, though it is one of the nicknames he gives me, I mean, I know I'm short, but 'midget' is a little too far.

"Oh shut up I am _not_ a midget."

"May as well be." He smirks at me though I just give him a playful punch. "Just pass some of the dried fruits." I say, sitting up and yawning slightly.

Cato turns towards the backpacks next to him and opens mine, the non-broken one, and pulls out a bag of dried fruit, but then bites his lip in slight… worry?

"What's the matter…?"

"We've only got four more bags…"

"What?!"

"Yeah… including this one."

"Then what the hell are we going to eat? We'll finish that by tomorrow!"

"I don't know… I guess we'll have to find our own food in this place. I mean, that has to be what the other tributes have been doing right?"

"Yes but they actually looked at edible plants back in training!"

"Yeah… that… could be a problem."

"Could be?! Cato… without food, we'll die of starvation, and when we're this close to winning, not only by ourselves, but _together, _I am not dying now!" I look to him and cross my arms. No damn way am I letting either one of us die when we're this close. Only both from 12, Thresh, and the girl from 5 left and then we can go home, victors, and the first ever _pair_ of victors. People will remember us for decades, the first ever pair. Our names will go down in history, Cato and Clove. Enobaria will be blown out of the water!

But… for that, we need food.

"So, today we find food." I look to Cato determinedly. "We're careers, how hard can finding food be?"

"Yeah… we are careers." He crosses his arms and smiles at me. "If the other scrawny tributes can do it, so can we. Easy."

"Yeah! So…. Where are we going to start?" Cato pauses. Having never looked for food… it's not as likely we'll be able to know where to start, and succeed, straight away. But, we can't kill tributes if we have no energy and are basically asleep.

"What about trying to find fish in one of the streams?"

And so, that's where we go… it's a start right?

* * *

"Damn fish!" I lie on the banks laughing madly. We made a few spears a while ago and we've been at this current stream for about 2 hours, trying hard to catch something, and we're down to our second last bag of dried fruit. "You're not going to catch ne if you just stab wildly into the water."

"Alright then midget, you try it." He crosses his arms and looks to me smugly, he knows I won't be able to. But, I shrug and kneel at the edge, spear in hand. I was trying earlier as well, though stopped when Cato couldn't stop… failing.

My eyes fix on the water before me, I hate trying to get a target in the water, especially when they're in it and I'm above, the water distorts so I never know if where I'm aiming is right.

A fish swims beneath me and I quickly force the spear down into the water. I clip its tail but it quickly swims off before I can either grab it or try again.

"Ha! See! Not so easy after all."

"Yeah yeah you've made your point. Maybe we're not cut out for fishing?"

"Wish Coral wasn't dead yet… she could fish for us."

"Exactly! But yeah, Katniss kind of killed her."

"Okay so Katniss killed Coral, who would have gathered us food, mainly fish, and she destroyed our pile of supplies."

"Yep."

"Bitch… I don't see why people support her, the only people she's killed have been through luck, and she's hoping we die just through starvation I bet, which is pretty stupid. Well, unless you count Marvel, but we don't know for sure if she killed her."

"Well it's really just elimination right? Thresh was in the grain field, and like hell would Marvel go there, Thresh was the only one he was terrified of. 12 won't be able to do anything after how you beat him up, surprised he's not dead. Then the little girl Marvel _must_ have killed, which leaves Katniss and 5. 5's a coward who I'm pretty sure is just a scavenger. So it must be Katniss." I shrug as Cato nods. We'd discovered this a while ago, though as he said, we're not a hundred percent sure.

"Come on… let's try 5's technique of scavenging."

* * *

Day 12

"What about these?" Cato holds out a hand full of berries to me and I pick one up, eyeing it experimentally. "I don't trust leaves or berries… can we try finding something alive? I seriously don't trust the gamemakers, and I'm not about to test it, I'm not that desperate."

"Good point…"

We spent most of yesterday scavenging for food (hoping to catch something alive), and although we found some garlic, the only plant both of us knew that was edible, it wasn't very satisfying, and though we finished more of the dried fruit bags yesterday, we agreed to keep the last one for emergencies, though with how we're doing at 'food collecting' that may very well be tonight.

Both of us, even if we have crap families, have always been fed 3 meals a day, unless we broke a rule or disappointed someone in training so we'd have to skip a meal to do laps, but, other than that we've always been fed 3 meals a day, and when at home, had access to snacks whenever we like. Therefore… we're not used to this 'being hungry' crap.

"Enobaria goddam it send us more food! Aren't you pissed off at Cato and me for kissing and stuff? You were pissed and sent us bread last time!" I shout up at the sky annoyedly. She never sends us anything, and now when we're hungry and need some kind of food she just completely ignores us.

"bitch." Cato bursts out laughing and I raise an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Well," he tries to cough himself back to sanity "You were always sucking up the gold-toothed bitch, and now you're insulting her and- and it's just hilarious!"

"I did so not suck-up!"

"Oh come onnnn. 'Enobaria I've perfected the technique! Oh Enobaria you should have seen me with the 14 year olds earlier, they were _so_ pathetic."

"Oh shut up." I try to glare at him, but I can't help but feel a smirk playing at the corner of my mouth.

"Make me" He sits up, still laughing but trying very hard to smirk in his usual way.

"Oh you want me to make you?"

"You heard me midget." I smirk and go to kiss him quickly, catching him off-guard. He embraces it happily as fireworks explode through my stomach as I get the usual overwhelming sensation. And then I break away from him and smirk down at his speechless yet content face. "Made ya."

"That doesn't count, I'm still talking." I raise an eyebrow at him, but then he kisses me, and so we simply stand there, kissing happily. That is, until a parachute lands.

"This better be food!" Cato picks it up and opens it and pulls out a… magnifying glass? "Oh you have to be kidding me… what a BITCH."

"What?"

"She's saying focus."

"How the hell do you know that?"

"I know Enobaria…" I take the magnifying glass and turn, throwing it as far as I can, which I must say is pretty damn far. "NO!" And with that, I turn, burning with anger, and wrap my arms around Cato's neck, kissing him again more passionately than ever before, and like hell do I want to stop.

"Attention Tributes!" Cato breaks the kiss gently and looks to me confused, as in unison, we look up. I really need to think why we look up… the voice comes from basically everywhere after all.

"Each of you needs something incredibly badly." I look to Cato, still an eyebrow raised and mouth 'food?'

"Therefore, tonight we invite you to a feast tomorrow at the cornucopia!"

As the announcement ends, an evil grin spreads across my face, my career instincts kicking in.

"A feast."

"Tomorrow."

"All the tributes will be there…" Cato matches my grin as both of us begin to formulate plan on how to catch and kill our two biggest threats, Katniss and Thresh, ironically the two weakest districts, and then how to deal with the other weaklings afterwards.

* * *

**Sorry it was short! I just found this chapter imparticular kind of hard to write, but prepae yourselves to be sad fo the next week because next chapters the feast and those of you that have read THG will know what happens :'(!**

**Thanks to everyone who's following and who's reviewed!**

**-Tara**


	13. The Feast

**Okay hey again! Thanks to everyone who's still reading and reviewing, and I'm glad you like it. By the way because I had someone say they were 'not going to read if u r going to make clove die at least do something to prevent it from happening' (was anonymous but you said Mel so, Mel this is directed at you 3) I just want to say that for this story I am going to keep it like the book as this is just THG from the careers point of view with the assumption that they were in love because for all we know they were but we only knew what Katniss did. (sorry!)**

**But, I should say that because I've loved doing this story so much I do plan to do a short fanfic afterwards about what would have happened if Clove and Cato had won, from the feast, up until the end of the hunger games when they're taken into the hovercrafts, healed and checked over, and then finish it when they're reunited. I won't go into what happens after that because I'd be too worried that I'd never end it and it would go on with Snow annoyed at them too and blahblah so yeah (and I also won't say anymore on it because I don't want to give anything away)**

**Also my devoted readers will know that I have put this chapter up early as I usually only update at the weekends. I've put it up early simply because I was so pleased with the reviews I had and how many views this Fanfiction has had that I thought I'd put a chapter up early :)**

**The next chapter will be up on Saturday at about 1.20 because even though I have a party tha night I've written the chapter already so it will definately be up :D! **

**Anyway sorry about that (was a littlleee bit long) :P Hope you enjoy this chapter, be prepared to cry ;(**

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Chapter 13-The Feast

Clove's POV

As the sun slowly rises I look over to Cato. He's sleeping with his left hand curled tightly around his sword, his head resting lazily on his other arm. He looks so cute… I mean manly I mean… okay yeah he's cute. But I need to stop thinking about how cute he is, at least for today. The 'feast' (A.K.A the second bloodbath in my opinion) is what I need to focus on, specifically on Katniss.

"Okay, so the cornucopia is here." Cato points with his sword towards the circle in the middle of the piece of dirt in front of us. We've sketched our own kind of 'mini-map'. It would have been useful if Enobaria had sent us a pen and a piece of paper, or two pieces of paper so we could keep the plan with us, but oh well, not like we're going to be needing it the fight.

"And then this area is simply open space." He says, waving his sword around the area around the cornucopia.

Calmly I draw a small 'c' in the middle of the circle and when he raises his eyebrow I simply say "Makes it clearer." He shrugs and begins to separate the areas around the 'open space' drawing a second ring at first, and then lines coming out of it and writing letters in each.

"So here... we have the wheat field, where 11 ran off too." He marks the area with 'WF'

"And then around the rest of the arena" I state, taking out my knife and sectioning off the other and writing an F inside it. "We have the forest, which apart from a few caves and streams, is basically the rest of the arena."

"Which…" continues Cato. "Is separated slightly… Here. By the lake." Cato draws with his sword again, scrubbing out part of my forest line and drawing a large circle to represent the lake, drawing an 'L' within it.

"Okay. So, we're down here by the stream which I suppose we should draw in…" Taking my knife I draw two lines coming down from the east side of the lake, drawing it southwards and then curving it west slightly. Halfway down it I mark an 'X', representing us at our current spot.

"And then 11 we know is in the wheat field." Clove marks an '11' below the 'WF'.

"Katniss we know for a fact will be with 12, what's his name again, Peeta?"

"Yeah I think so."

"Anyway, they'll be either in the forests or a cave or something." Great, that narrows it down.

"Yeah… so basically we've no idea where they are." I smirk as Cato basically voices my thought.

"Yep, but let's think. They won't be by the lake because that's too open and they'd probably think they'd be found, and I can't remember any proper shelter near it."

"And they definitely won't be in the wheat field, Peeta was with us he knew I saw Thresh go that way, so unless the kids unconscious and Katniss dragged him there for some weird reason, he won't be there."

"Okay so, no lake, no wheat field. Forest wise, well I guess it's not open exactly, but they'd need better cover than just trees… the boy can't climb, and the precious 'girl on fire' won't be able to drag him up. So, they'll be in some kind of cover."

"And they'll need to be at most half a day's walk away from water."

"And without the lake…"

"They'll use the stream!" We say together. I smile gently to myself, unable to believe we're at the stage where we're completing each other's sentences.

"So… they'll be in this kind of area." Cato draws too large circles on either side of the stream with his sword, marking a 12 in each.

"Well that means they'll come from a southerly direction, well Katniss will, unless Peeta's better, though you said you cut him up pretty bad so I doubt that. I wonder what everyone else needs…"

"Who knows, either way they'll be dead by the end of it."

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I smile and look up at the sun, it's nearly completely risen now, guess it's time to wake up Cato. We agreed to leave at sunrise, wanting to get to the cornucopia with enough time to spare.

I stretch calmly, although I've been awake for 2 hours (we decided to make watches into 2 hour shifts, going to bed, well sleep we don't really have a bed, at about midnight as the fire was starting to dwindle and didn't keep our mini-map as light as we'd have liked.) I'm still stiff, not having properly moved, well I haven't need to, for a while.

I turn and nudge Cato gently with my foot. "Cato, get up."

"Can't be arsed…" I roll my eyes as he scrunches up tighter in his sleeping bag. This is the hunger games and usually he would get up much quicker, but from my tone he knows there's no threat, so the lazy git stays put. Well, nothing for it.

"Cato come o- SHIT! CATO!" I begin to run to my left as Cato's eyes snap open and he scrambled out the sleeping bag, sword in hand then he turns to where I was facing and swings the sword out to hit whatever I shouted at.

"The fu-" He looks around confused.

"Well good, you're awake."

"You mean there's no-one here?! Goddam it Clove!" I smirk at him triumphantly; to be honest it's his own fault for not getting out of the stupid sleeping bag.

"Come on… we need to get moving."

"Alright… finish the plan?"

"Yeah, where'd we get to… oh we just worked out the general areas where 12 would be." Cato nods and walks over to the mini-map and I join him. With my knife I go over the lines, some of the nightly (capitol-made) wind blew bits of leaves and dirt over some of it so I quickly make it clear, and legible, once more.

"Okay so 12's in one of these two areas, depending what side of the stream they're on, and Thresh is in the wheat field. What about 5?" Cato looks to me as he asks this though I quickly answer with a rather casual tone.

"She's a scavenger… she'll be in the forests, don't put her number down because we won't know where, but it doesn't matter."

"Catching her is going to be a bitch…" I shrug at this, we know she's fast and sneaky, not having seen her since the beginning, but oh well, the gamemakers will drive her to us eventually, what with being able to have 2 winners, it's not like Cato and I will fight it out, and it is likely we'll be the final 3 unless the others get to her before the feast or at it, though again, I doubt she'll hang around, if she sees a fight she'll sprint off.

"Okay so. 11 will come from here." I draw an arrow coming towards the cornucopia from the what fields. "12 from the south, or south-eastern direction, unless Katniss left the night before and has gone around the lake…"

"Doubt it."

"Indeed. And then 5… will come from somewhere, I'm guessing that as we haven't seen her, the north." I draw an arrow from the north, though put a large circle at the base of it, representing that although she'll come from there, we don't know exactly what point from.

"So, the things we need will all come down and be placed at the cornucopia." I tap the small circle quickly.

"And then there'll be a pause. No doubt everyone will be there already and will just wait for someone to go first." Remarks Cato and annoyance grows within me as it dawns on me that we just won't know who'll be there first.

"Well we obviously won't go first, 5 won't matter as she can't fight. So, we'll only act if either Thresh or Katniss appear."

"Agreed." Cato points with his sword towards the arrow coming from the wheat field. "Should 11 emerge first, I'll run towards him and start the fight. When Katniss emerges, then you go towards her. And if it happens the other way round, then you go first followed by me."

"And if only one of them shows up?"

"Then whoever has her marked goes to get her, if they start struggling, the other will join them. Simple enough."

"Hm. Alright. Well that's that settled. Come on let's go." We quickly pack up our things and kick apart the remains of our fire, before setting off. Get ready tributes… your new victors are coming for you.

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Cato and I sit silently, the cornucopia in front of us. We have around 15 minutes until we think the feast will begin, so for now, we wait. We agreed 100 metres ago we'd only talk in whispers or sign from then on, in case there was any tribute nearby. We don't want to start fighting them in the woods, far easier in the open.

14 minutes. Why does time move so slowly! I look to my left to see Cato scanning the area in front of us, his hand tapping his sword gently and I know he's looking for tributes, looking for Thresh though the field is so high that if he's there or anywhere near there, there's no hope of finding him.

My eyes scan the forests in front of me, looking for any sign of her, the 'girl on fire' the girl who has caused us so much crap. Every tree, every bush, every single piece of foliage that is in viewing distance I look at, filling each minute with an examining gaze as I try to find her. Yet to no avail. I think I see a boot, perched beneath the bush, yet then it rolls down a slight slope and I realise that it's just a darkened piece of wood. Figures.

2 minutes.

Cato looks to me and quickly motions me to him. With an eyebrow raised I step slightly closer, so there's merely an inch between us.

"Clove." He looks to me seriously, which only sparks further confusion within me. It's 2 minutes before the feast and he's choosing now to talk to me?

"Yeah…?"

He blinks once and takes a breath, before cupping my face in his and pressing his lips quickly to mine. There is so much passion within the kiss that it's like nothing I've ever felt from him before and all I want to do is be with him forever and always, and I know that's cliché but I just don't care. Is this truly what overwhelming love feels like? Whenever I heard princess stories as a child, of 'true, undying love' I always thought it stupid, what such thing could possibly exist? Yet it does… I sound like a foolish schoolgirl but who cares?!

The sound of a hovercraft meets my ears as a large shadow falls over the cornucopia, 4 bags, each marked with a number: 2, 5, 11, and 12, are placed on the table just in front of it.

Cato releases me and looks determinedly into my eyes and with the next three words all breath is taken from me. "I love you." I look to him, tears' gathering in my eyes as I finally feel like my life is complete, but his next shout catches me entirely off guard.

"There!" I blink away the tears, forcing myself to concentrate. You can be with Cato later Clove, focus.

Running to the cornucopia is the girl from 5, she grabs her bag and sprints off in a different direction. Cato and I simply watch her go, we don't need her. We need either 11, or 12.

And there she is… Katniss is running towards the cornucopia now, a quiver of arrows, Glimmer's quiver of arrows on her back and Glimmer's bow clasped within her hand, her eyes are fixed on the bags in front of her.

"Go Clove!" I smirk at Cato's comment and leap from the bushes concealing and set off at a sprint, straight towards Katniss. I've no idea what she needs, probably medicine, but I don't care, now, she dies.

She's got her bag I can't see her but I know she's coming my way and as soon as she appears my knife has left my hand, slicing across her forehead but not fatal. She's knocks an arrow and fires it but I quickly dodge it with ease, didn't she see me at the agility course? Idiot. I've breached the gap and launch myself on top of her, and with a simple bow and arrows there's nothing for her to do. I relish in the moment. She's mine… there's no-one to stop me, and I may as well enjoy this moment.

"How's lover boy?" I smirk as she simply keeps struggling beneath my grasp. The girl who has caused us so much trouble, is now at my mercy. "Oh I see… you were gonna help him right? That's sweet" Of course… that wound must be deadly, so the bag must be medicine after all, it's small enough. Maybe I'll take it after, for when we face 11. "It's too bad you couldn't help your friend. That little girl, what was her name again? Rue? Yeah well, we killed her." The little 12 year old… she was just as weak as Katniss really, all she did was aim and release a couple of arrows, and how the hell did she get an 11? Oh well… I guess I'll never now.

I smirk as I press my knife slightly harder into her neck, loving the next words that come from me. "And now… we're gonna kill you." My knife nearly drawing blood, I smirk at her, the last thing she'll ever see.

What the heck!? No! There are strong hands on me and I'm thrown from her. Is this Cato, wanting her instead? I spin around agitated, but Thresh is his target! 12's mine! Would he really do that!? But no… no! It's 11! He's got me! NO! He's holding me against the cornucopia and the cold metal makes me flinch slightly.

"Did you kill her!?" N-no! He's got me I try to escape and I can't.

"No!" I continue struggling; I can't die, not now! Not when I'm so close!

"I heard you!" Thresh looks at me with fury, his eyes ablaze.

"CATO! CATO!" Where is he! Where's Cato I need him he needs to help me, he needs to stop thresh, he's going to kill me. My eyes are filling with tears and my voice is nothing but panic as the memory of a small 10 year old, struggling against a much larger 12 year-old battling him with a sword comes to the front of my mind

_"Get up Cato!"_

_The boy pushes himself up again, glaring hard at the best 12 year old in the class. In airness he shouldn't even still be with us, now he's 12 he should go to the other training group though of course he wanted to come to this last one just to fight this boy again. The 12-year old attacks, and in a few simple motions, the sword is at the boys throat_

_"Pathetic Cato… Ag-" The bell goes, signalling lunch and catching everyone off guard. "Hmph, saved by the bell, no lunch, 10 laps, and then practice with the dummies, by tomorrow you better be able to beat them." I blink once as I continue to watch them as the trainer turns and walks off briskly, leaving the two boys alone. Why doesn't he go to lunch…? Did he get laps too?_

_"You may as well give up Cato, you're brother died last games and he was meant to be one of the best, obviously he wasn't…" Oh. He's that boy Tyson's brother, the tribute in last year's games. He came… 3rd I think._

_"That wasn't his fault!"_

_"Idiot should have seen the mutts coming"_

_"Don't you dare insult my brother…"_

_"Or what?" I'm angry now, what kind of… what did Rebekah used to say… git? Yeah. What kind of git turns around and insults someone's sibling when they only just died in the arena? He did come 3rd._

_"OI!" As one, the heads of Cato and the annoying kid turn around and spot me, small, little Clove, a knife in each of my hands._

_"Get off of him you bastard." I try to glare intimidatingly but he just looks back to me in confusion_

_"Who the fu-"_

_"Get off of him, or this knife will end up in YOU instead of being held in my hand."_

_"Think you scare me?" The boy got away from Cato and began to walk towards me, now he was trying to be intimidating, well, he's the one who's going to end up in trouble. I can still remember as I formed that sweet little plan in my mind._

_"Nope. I just think you're easy to manipulate." To Cato's astonishment, I start giggling, and then a fist collides with my jaw, at the exact moment that the trainer comes in. Although I was braced for it, it still SERIOUSLY hurt, but oh well._

_"Allan! How dare you attack an 8 year old!" You're in the shit now buddy._

I smile weakly as I remember our first meeting. And can't believe how much we've progressed since then…

_"The… the rule change… two tributes from the same district… we're going home? Cato, Cato!"_

_"Wha-" Cato looks up at me confused as I squeal in delight._

"We're going home! The rule change! We're going home!" He instantly sits bolt upright, smiling widely at me, and we embrace, the third time, he feels so good… and then he pulls back and looks into my eyes, and kisses me.

He kissed me…

I open my eyes and see Thresh's demented face and scream for dear life "CATO!" I need to tell him that I truly love him; he knows it… he does, but I need to tell him, I just need to tell him! Why couldn't I have told him earlier! "Cato! I-"

BOOM

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**Okay I was so sad writing this chapter and I didn't originally plan to include the memory of their first meeting but I thought it worked so well so, there it is. So sorry guys but I will put up an alternate ending after this Fanfiction, so keep reading, there's only a few chapters left xxx**

**Review!**

**-Tara**


	14. Cato's Promise

**Hey again, this chapter won't be as long, though we are extremely close to the end now, and after this one, each chapter will have breaks within it, signalling the passing of time as each chapter will be at least 2-3 days until the final day where- well… we're not there yet. I'm so sorry to everyone who was upset by the last chapter, I was upset myself writing it and I hate to tell you that this one won't lift your spirits any further, but future ones I promise shouldn't make anyone upset. **

**I know I posted one on Wednesday thanks to everyone's amazing reviews so I decided to post it early, and hopefully I should be able to post another one next Wednesday, though if not I am sorry.**

**Sorry for (wow I'm saying sorry a lot lately) this awfully long authors note, I won't continue to write this silly stuff from me any longer. **

**Review :D**

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Chapter 14-Cato's Promise

Cato's POV

Clove leaps forward, knife in hand, ready to throw it at 12. I watch as she runs, powered by adrenaline at the thought of finally getting back at that stupid 'girl on fire' it's just a shame we couldn't burn her… mark her death as irony forever, but, maybe when she's dead we will, who knows. She reaches the cornucopia and doubles around the back of it, the direction from which Katniss came. I see Katniss emerge from the same side and grab the small sack marked '12' before doubling around herself, intending to head back where she came from, and to my delight I watch as she staggers back slightly as a knife skims across her forehead. Nice one Clove. She knocks an arrow and releases it, yet no cannon meet my ears and I know that Clove's alright, even if I can't see her.

Ah, there she is. She's on top of her and I can't help but smile. I glance at the wheat field for a millisecond, surprised to have still seen no sign of Thresh, but maybe he didn't need anything too badly, what could he possibly need anyway? No-one bothers to go into the wheat field, he's got food, and he can get water if he needs to… hmm, oh well.

My eyes flicker back to Clove and I smile cruelly from the bush which is concealing me as she holds a knife to Katniss's throat and I know she's relishing every last minute. We planned whether or not we'd make their deaths quick, but with Katniss we agreed that her death needed to be prolonged, she needed to know how much shit she's caused, and how happy we are that it's at our hands that she's going to finally meet her end. I hear a rustling to my left and spin around grabbing my sword, expecting to see 11 trying to sneak up on me, but no. I pause, waiting, then look back.

Katniss is on the floor panting slightly by the looks of it, but Clove isn't on top of her. What the hell?

Then her screams fill my ears and my shoes seem to entwine themselves with the floor beneath them, gluing me to its dirt covered surface.

"CATO! CATO!" Clove?

"CATO!" "Cato! I-"

BOOM

My face falls, no, NO! I clap a hand over my mouth and collapse to my knees, no… how could, how could she be… Clove… I want to scream, I want to shout her name and call it repeatedly, and hoping that she'll call me back but I know that if I did, she wouldn't. I'll never hear her voice again, not unless I go back a victor and hear her on the TV. Never will I feel her soft lips against mine, never see again her winning smirk, or feel the familiar pain in my groin as she once again knees me there whilst fighting.

My hand balls into a fist as I feel water trickling down my face and onto my hand. Is it raining? I look up yet still see the familiar blue sky, and then I realise that it's me. My tears continue to fall down my face as I look back at the cornucopia in time to see Thresh fading out of sight, two bags in hand. Two? He must have taken mine…

Katniss staggers up now, picking up her bag again and then running off, no doubt thinking that I'll come after her… well she's right about that… but not now… why didn't Thresh kill her?

I have to see her for myself, so I stand and begin to stagger down towards the cornucopia, my feet having somehow found a way to move once more, dragging me across the ground towards her… her body. Her corpse.

I reach the cornucopia and put a hand to it, tears still falling down my face, my other hand loosely gripping my sword. If I just go around the back of it, I'll see her… but now I don't even know if I can bare it. But no, I must, before they take her away and I'll never see her face again.

So I do… I make my way around it, and collapse to my knees beside her as fresh, warm tears spill down from my eyes and I see the body before me, her eyes wide, her head slightly dented, Thresh having obviously killed her by knocking her against the cold metal surface.

Slowly, I wrap my arms around her body, propping her head up gently with my right, my left arm stroking her blood-covered, pale, lifeless face.

"Clove… Clove wake up." I know it's useless, I know she can't hear me, but I don't want to know, I try to kid myself, and begin to scream down at the body.

"CLOVE! WAKE UP!" My voice catches as small droplets hit her face and I quickly go to wipe my eyes, even in death I don't want her to see me like this. I pull her close to me and bury her head in my neck as I try to whisper to her, to will her awake. "Clove… please… wake up."

It takes me 10 minutes before I can finally let her go, and so when I do I place her gently beside the cornucopia, crossing her arms for her. I smile weakly now; Clove always thought it stupid that when dead you cross your arms. _"How the hell would you be able to reach your weapon?"_

I take two knives from her belt; she'd only taken 3 and left her jacket behind, thinking she wouldn't need it, thinking this would be the last battle. Well… it was the last battle, but it was her last battle… where she died, not everyone else.

Gently, I place the knives in each of her hands, making sure each one has a firm grasp, poking the tips slightly through her shirt so as to keep it more stable for when her body is taken away, back to district two.

"You can reach your weapons now Clove… even in death." I stroke her head again and look up to the sky. "Please… don't take them from her." I don't know if they'll hear me, but I hope they do, if she's going back home to be buried, she deserves to be buried with them.

I know people back home are glaring at my weakness, people in the capitol probably crying with fake sympathy, as if they could ever understand, and everyone in the other districts shocked at the fact that careers have a heart.

Well they do, and mine was just broken. I know it's cliché but so what, it's true.

I tuck a thin strand of hair gently behind her ear, smiling when I remember her with it down, back when she was just 8 years old… have I ever seen her with it down since then? And was it me that made her put it up from that day forward? She always did think she looked fiercer with it up I suppose.

Bending down, I give her a soft kiss on her forehead, and then stand and turn my back on her, forcing myself not to look back. I pick up my sword, though the fights gone from within me, why am I even here? Why are any of us here?

I head back into the trees and I've only gone 100 metres before a dark shadow passes over me and I look up to see the hovercraft going to collect her body. Now I turn in spite of myself, turn to watch them take her.

The usual metal claw lowers down towards her, like one of those games in the amusement buildings back home where children put in money so as to try to grab a toy with a metal claw. The sight sickens me.

It grasps around her body and she's instantly frozen, unable to move so that they can be sure that they won't drop her. She's lifted from the ground and my eyes follow her, it's almost ironic how she's taken up into the sky, as if she truly is going to heaven. But no, she's not going to heaven, she's going to the capitol, where they'll put her in a wooden box before sending her back home on the train where she'll be buried amongst other, countless, failed tributes. Maybe she'll even be buried next to Tyson? It's a shame she never knew him… it makes me smirk really; he died the year before I met her.

He promised to come home to, promised he'd get me and the other two out of training. I was always close to him, 8 years apart yet he was my role model, he was who I wanted to be.

_"You're going to win, right?"_

_"Win? Bro, I'll not only come home a victor, I'll come home with the president knowing me personally." I laugh happily as he ruffles my hair and then bends down to my level. "Seriously though, you wait, I'll come home a victor and then you, me, and the other two will move into a house in the victors' village, I'll even buy our dumb parents a massive apartment to keep them happy, or happy enough, and you won't have to worry about them ever again." I beam at him and wrap my arms around his neck._

_He laughs and hugs me back in a nice, brotherly way. "You just keep watching me, especially the interviews; I'll get all the sponsors and may even give you a little shout-out, yeah?"_

_"Yeah!"_

He kept true to his word of shouting out to me… Caesar asked who he'd come home to and I can still remember him saying my name, saying that he'd come home for me, his little brother, who he'd promised to come home for and then joked about how he'd spoil me rotten.

I wish he'd met Clove… she was so perfect… and now she's gone.

My hand grabs the tree closest to me as anger boils up inside of me, my nails digging into the hard bark beneath my touch. Thresh, and 12, they did this to her… if it wasn't for them I would have gone home a victor, and better yet, I'd have gone home a victor with my best friend, no, my future girlfriend, and maybe even my wife, right at my side.

I will get revenge for you Clove; I'll kill them all…. Just wait and when I'm victor, I will make sure no-one _ever_ forgets you, I promise.

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**Okay guys I'll put the next chapter up next week-end**

**Review :) and sorry the last 2 chapters were so sad. Not many left and not every day will be acounted for, just the important ones.**

**-Tara**

**xx**


	15. Revenge

**Time for Cato's revenge guys :D! **

**Hope you like it, it's not as long but next one will be much much longer I promise xxx**

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Chapter 15- Revenge

Cato's POV

I've been in this arena 15 days now and counting. Rain beats down hard on my head and chest plate as I walk through the woods of the arena. Enobaria sent me the armour yesterday, knowing I would come after Thresh. It's simple really; a simple metal chest plate, but it will save me from any fatal blows.

My boots squelch in the mud as I walk through the woods. I don't know where I'm going, not really, I'm going more on instinct that anything else. I saw Thresh head partially this way yesterday. I don't know how far he went, but I plan to find him, and kill him. For Clove.

I pause as ahead of me stands a large, thick, oak tree, and beneath it, his back turned to me, is Thresh, sat at its base, the two bags in front of him, his sword grasped in his hand.

I draw my own sword and head towards him, the grip on my sword tighter and firmer than usual. I know I can't lose this fight, I always thought there was a chance I'd die to Thresh; I thought as much when I saw his reapings, but no, not now, not after what he did to Clove, no matter what.

He stands as he sees me emerge from amongst the hammering rain, and his deep voice addressed me coldly.

"Two."

"Eleven."

My eyes glance to both of the packs, one with an '11' which has obviously been opened and is half empty, and then the one with '2' written on it. I need no further motivation.

I charge at him and swing my sword for his chest but he parries it and attempts to stab me in my sword arm. I sidestep quickly, narrowly evading it, and, to my annoyance, skidding slightly on the muddy floor, yet at the same time manage to draw my sword across his leg. It's narrow, but it's enough. First blood to me, and he's obviously pissed about it.

He slashes at me, scraping my left wrist, but I'm right handed so I don't care.

I spin around him and try to drive my sword into his back but he quickly lunges forward and spins, knocking my sword aside, though I keep a firm grip on it.

"I thought you were better than this Thresh. How did you get your 11?" He swings at me again and I jump aside.

"Look at you. You're boring as hell; you can't do any true damage to me." He attempts to kick me and I know this move, he'll kick then bring the sword across as I dodge to the left, so, I dodge to the right, and as he swings his sword I parry it and he jumps back, glaring daggers at me.

"And all you've done all games is hide in some stupid wheat field, like some stupid coward."

He snarls at me, obviously enraged so I go for the final taunt.

"You're just as pathetic as your district partner! What was her name? Boo?"

Now, he's mine. He lets out a shout of fury "Her name was Rue you career bastard!"

He swings over and over at me, trying hard to hit me yet his strikes are not as precise, not as careful, he is letting out all his rage in his moves, and I smirk, only enraging him room. People think that when enraged, you have more strength, yes, this is true, but you fight much better with a level head.

Yes, I am annoyed and furious about Clove, but unlike Thresh, I can keep a level-head.

He swings and swings and I know he's tiring himself, and after a few minutes I start to make counter attacks, small ones at first, a slash here, a cut there, nothing major. After 10 minutes, I go for the bigger attacks, and now blood covers the floor around us, mainly his, though also partially mine, and I know I'm winning, and by the look on his face, so does he.

We continue fighting over and over, and after half an hour of continuous fighting, both of us are exhausted, covered with blood and dirt and wet, dripping mud, rain continuing to beat down on us.

We're panting heavily from exhaustion and we're at a standstill. As I went for the finishing move, so did he, and now my sword is at his throat, his at my chest, as soon as one moves, the other will too.

I glare into his eyes furiously, knowing that I'm moments away from killing Clove's killer, getting her the revenge she deserves. "You're an idiot eleven; you should never have killed Clove"

"Like you care." Like I care?! Of course I fucking cared you stupid bastard! I want to kill him but for now I don't see how, not without getting myself killed at the same time, but if I die, I can't make sure she's remember forever, we'll just be forgotten, another few tributes in another hunger games, and that's just not good enough.

"You know I knew you were going to be like a career from the start. And now you're going to die." His eyes widen and I smirk, as a plan has formulated in my head. He looks confusedly at me, and I know exactly what he's thinking, but by the time he's worked out what I'm going to do, it will be too late.

I turn quickly so his sword is now pointed at my shoulder which will be painful I know, but I'll live, and I won't need it for when I fight Katniss.

I dart forward, shouting in pain as his sword goes through my shoulder, but not too deeply, my chest plate having stopped most of it. Yet it doesn't matter, because as Thresh's eyes widen in realisation, my sword slices through his throat, his thick blood spilling out onto my silver blade and he can do nothing to stop it.

BOOM.

I smile as the cannon sounds to signify my triumph over 11. I pull my sword from his throat and watch as his body falls, his dead hand falling from the hilt of the sword still embedded in me.

I look down at him, kicking his body away from me, my eyes still burning with fury, as well as triumph.

"Like I care 11? Well guess what, I fucking did care, you killed the girl I loved, and that's why you had to die, so I can go home and make sure she's never forgotten. But guess what. You on the other hand, will be forgotten, completely, and utterly, forgotten. Oh yeah, your family, your friends, your _district _will remember you, for a bit, if you're lucky, forever, but no-one else will, give it 5, 10 years, and you'll just be a nobody, just some tribute that survived for a bit in the games, but died at the hand of Cato, the victor of the 74th Hunger games."

I smirk again; I know I'm talking to a corpse, but so what. This _corpse_ is responsible for Clove's corpse, and what I said is true. The only way he'll ever be remembered is as another tribute, or just the tribute that killed the victors district partner, Clove.

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**Sorry it wasn't as long, but the next chapter will be, and I hate to say it but the next chapter will be the final one**

**Review!**

**-Tara**

**xx**


	16. The Final Three

**Last one guys ;(**

**Cato+Clove forever!**

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Chapter 16 – The Final Three

Cato's POV

3 of us left… just 3… How long have I been here now? Weeks? I've lost count, I think 2 weeks… but I don't know.

I'm still recovering from the injuries Thresh gave me, they sting like hell but I suck it up. What would Enobaria say? I've cleaned most of my wounds, and Enobaria sent me a bandage for my shoulder, which was definitely the worst.

My body armour lies abandoned at the foot of the tree for now, hopefully I'll be able to wear it backwards, it seems adjustable, that way the hole won't be at the front, and I do always face my enemies head on, so it doesn't matter about what's behind me, I doubt Peeta will be able to run properly.

The sack the game makers left for me and- well… the bag they left marked with '2' was full of food after all, thankfully, no doubt they realised how crap we were at finding some for ourselves, especially when we tried fishing, dear snow that was priceless.

CRACK. I quickly grab my sword and turn around watching the area from which I heard it. 10, 15 seconds go by as I watch carefully, why hasn't an arrow come to me yet?

I raise my eyebrow, confused, as a small creature then hops out and hops away. A rabbit. I smirk and lean against the tree closest to me. Just a rabbit… I don't need to fight yet.

I brush my body armour with my sleeve; I tried to wash off most of the blood though some is just stuck to it. Typical. Oh well, it's the blood of a murderer as well as my own, it only shows how I beat him, as it should.

CRACK. I glance to the bush and smile, knowing a rabbit will come out before long.

I begin to put my body armour back on and then I hear…. Growling? The hell? I stand slowly, adjusting the straps on my armour as I do so, as a set of two eyes glow from within the darkness of the bush. I take a step closer and then it steps out, a menacing looking dog with eyes I know I've seen somewhere, and perfect golden blonde fur.

It snarls at me, baring its teeth and I take a second step back. It steps forward. A second dog comes out, this one's fur browny coloured, then from my left, another dog, this one much, much larger, with jet black fur.

I meet the newcomer's eyes and my eyes widen in horror. Thresh's eyes.

More growling, more dogs, mutts, fuck. I grab my sword slowly, I can't hold my ground with this many, where the hell am I going to go?! Have the gamemakers set them on me on purpose?!

Thresh, no, _the Mutt,_ paws the ground, it's growling and snarling becoming even louder. It leaps towards me and I'm gone, simply gone, and running as hard as I can towards where I think the cornucopia will be.

The mutts begin barking franticly as they chase me snarling, spitting and growling as they give chase, trying hard to catch up with me, the closest of them snapping at my heels hopefully though, thankfully, failing to catch me in their jaws.

Fucking game makers! Trust them game to send bloody mutts, and not any mutts, but mutts that look like some of the dead tributes, into the arena to chase me and both from 12, wherever the hell they are, to the cornucopia.

I sprint out of the woods and then I see them, right ahead of me. If the mutts would just get lost I could kill them here and now! But no time now, I just keep running, if I'm lucky they'll be ripped apart by the mutts chasing me. As I charge past I see Katniss has her bow raised but looks confused when I don't go to attack, but to charge past.

I hear her release the string and the _twang_ as her arrow soars through the air though by the sound of it, none of the mutts are really affected by it, but I can bet that both from 12 will be affected by the mutts' teeth, that's for sure.

This is a sad way to win, but this is the hunger games, anything's possible. But I hear them, running madly behind me, straight to where I'm headed, well great.

I reach the cornucopia and force myself to climb it, trying hard to ignore the pain from all of my cuts and bruises given to me by 11.

I glance around to check where they are and they're about 30 metres from me, I glance behind them and the mutts are only 10 metres from them, but the sight of one particular mutt makes me almost fall from the cornucopia. A rather small, menacing and cruel looking mutt with dark brown fur which is almost black barks furiously and glances up at me with two piercing eyes. Clove's eyes.

I grip the cornucopia tightly as memory after memory floods my mind, all of them containing Clove.

She's 8, folding her arms and looking annoyedly at the 12 year old who fought me. Now she's 9, running her fingers through her hair casually before smiling mischievously, tying it up, and then hurling a knife at the dummy in front of us, hitting the head of course. Now she's 10, double digits, and is laughing at me as I step into one of the other kids traps in training, they were practicing with snares.

11, both of us race home rain pouring over us as we go, though all we do is laugh as we slip and slide and even fall over, first me, and then her as we sit in the mud laughing madly as though we could never be happier.

I collapse upon the cornucopia, panting for breath and practically gagging over the side, of all the things to do the gamemakers make mutts that look like the tributes?! I hear someone come up behind about 6 metres away and realise it must be Katniss as Peeta shouts at her to climb. Is this where I die? I hear an arrow being pulled back, but she doesn't let it loose instead she shouts at Peeta to climb and I hear him scramble up the edge of the horn.. I hate them, hate how they still have their district partner, I want that, I want the glory of winning alongside someone else, alongside Clove, but 11 took that from me… at least I got my revenge.

"Can they climb it?" My voice is barely audible as I cough, still out of breath, but I have to know, have to know if it really is safe up here.

"What?"

"He said 'can they climb it'" Okay so at least Peeta heard me. I hear a snarl and a dog leaps up and hangs on the edge of the cornucopia, three metres from 12. I turn quickly, my muscles moaning in pain, and see Glimmer, no the _mutt_ who just looks like glimmer, long silken blonde hair and a collar around her neck which reads '1'. Katniss shriek and I know she's realised too, it's sickening…

"Katniss?"

"It's her!" No shit Sherlock…

"Who? What is it Katniss?"

"It's them. It's all of them. The others. Rue and Foxface and…" Who the hell is Foxface? "all the other tributes…" Yep… even… even Clove…

My eyes drift over the edge and I see her there, scratching at the base of the cornucopia and snarling up at me the collar around her neck marked with an unmistakeable '2' and her eyes… her unmistakeably human eyes look to me with… with hatred.

12 begin talking about what they could have done to them, what if they've put their memories in them? No… if they had Clove, no, the _mutt_ wouldn't be trying to kill me.

I hear a thud and a snarl and turn again to see them practically falling from the edge. "Kill it Peeta! Kill it!" Don't kill it… just hurry up and die.

My breathing starts to slow and I've nearly recovered, if only I had the strength now… I'd push them both off and have done with it, have done with this stupid arena, and go home, bring pride to my district.

I can't let them win… I can't. I pull myself to my feet, trying not to draw attention as Katniss shoots an arrow and what can no doubt be Thresh, or the mutt with Thresh's eyes. I can't let them win together, it's Clove and me who should have finished together, I won't let them have that.

I reach down and grab Peeta, jerking him away from Katniss's side as she turns around and within moments I have him in a headlock, my arm squeezing his airways as he tries to claw at my arm, though I won't let go.

She stands and aims one of her arrows, no doubt her last or second to last, at my head and I just laugh at her. "Shoot me and he goes down with me." I smile triumphantly at her; if she shoots I'll move so she hits Peeta, if I move I get shot. It's like the stalemate with Thresh all over again, but I will win, as soon as Peeta dies I can use him as a shield for her arrows and barge her, knocking her straight over the edge and then throwing his body down onto her and finally being crowned victor, the title I deserve.

He's turning blue and I know I'm moments from winning, soon they'll announce my name, my victory, and take me home.

Peeta, with his last few breaths I don't doubt, points up at my arm, what the hell is he planning? He draws something in the air over… over my hand? An X? What?

Fuck. I know what's about to happen just before it does but too late, the arrow has forced its way into my hand. "Agh!" I can't hold on to him, even I can't fight against the reflex action of dropping him, and now it dawns on me that I can't win, not now, and maybe was never meant to.

Peeta slams into me and I stagger back, trying to reach out for him but lose my footing and fall as I see Katniss yank him out of harm's way.

I hit the ground with a thud and shout in pain as the mutts dive on top of me, clawing me, snarling, spitting, biting. I've dropped my sword but I take out a knife, one I found back at our old campsite which Clove had left and try to fend them off. If not for my body armour I know I'd be dead, but as long as I have it there's a chance I can win, I can't give up.

Pain sears through my body as I slash out at the mutts again and again, yet still howl in pain as, when one falls, another takes its place at my body and begins clawing at me.

Blood clouds my vision as pain, from who knows how many scars, boils within me, practically unbearable.

Against my own will, I let out cries of pain and agony. It hurts so, so much but I'm still alive, why couldn't they be poisonous, why can't they let me die?

I see them properly now, I thought I had when I was running but no, not now, now I properly see them, all of them with their fur the colour of their hair, the eyes, their eyes, and each with a colar, marked with their district. All of them, from the brat all the way to the hulking large dog figure of Thresh. Marvel and Glimmer are there too, and Clove, and all the other kids I killed, 3, Coral, those from the cornucopia, in this spot maybe, where this all started. Is this their way of getting revenge? Perhaps those back in their own districts are cheering right now, cheering my death.

I know I can't win now, what hope I had is gone. All the other tributes… dead, except for me, and 12. Perhaps I was never meant to win, maybe if I'd paid more attention at the cornucopia I would have seen Thresh, I would have saved Clove and then killed them both. Then all we'd have to do is find Foxface and Peeta and then we'd be the victors, but no. No, Clove died. And now I'm going to die as well.

I want to die, right here, right now, and stop this pain, this suffering. I let out another moan as the Mutts begin to drag me into the cornucopia, will they finish me now? Let me die? I can't fight them anymore exhaustion has overwhelmed me and my hand is so covered in blood and bites that it's useless anyway.

They say that you see your life flash before your eyes when you die, but I see nothing of my life, I just see pain.

I hear footsteps above me, and the sound of an arrow being drawn. Is this the last piece of mercy I'll get? Will she save me from dying in slowly and painfully? A feint twang meets my ears as its let loose, straight towards my head, and the memory of Clove, smiling and laughing, drifts to the front of my mind.

_BOOM_

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**Yep, it's all over, sorry guys ;(! **

**As many of you know this was my first fanfic and I never thought I'd write a cato/clove one as I'm really more Galeniss though then i thought, as a first story, maybe I will write a semi-short one on them but now I've become really attached to them as characters so I was so sad when I had to kill them off ;(**

**However, because I loved them so much, and because many of you were so upset when Clove died as well, I'm going to put up an alternate ending in about a month but until then just put up a couple of oneshots.**

**Thanks to all my readers and lovely reviewers!:  
Elise Gray  
SunGirl12  
Pinklove21 (check out her stories! They're epic x)  
clovehg123  
AlwaysForJC  
River WolfGirl (Cato and Clove forever in heaven together :) x)  
InevitableAbyss  
Mel  
Livi  
AmIWrong**

**Also reallllyyy special thanks to : AnItalianDuck  
She's the one who actually introduced me to this website as we know each other from a different one and both of us love the hunger games, so reallllyyyy big thanks to her, please please check out her story 'born to survive' I'm not sure if she's finished it yet but it is amazing and one of the characters is based on me ;) (Georgia, btw that's my real name lol :P) And so if you see the character 'Rebekah' In future stories (btw she was in this one as well) she's based on AnItalianDuck and is Clove's sister, so keep a look out! x**

**Thanks again!**

**-Tara**

**xxx**


	17. Author's note

**Okay guys this is just an authors note so sorry if you were hoping for another chapter.**

**As promised I've released an alternate ending to this fanfic called ' A victory to Remember' and I thought I'd post an A/N about it in case any of you who followed this one want to read it but didn't know**

**If you do read ' A victory to remember' I hope you like it, it's only got two chapters up at the minute but like with this one I'm updating weekly :)**

**-Tara**


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